


cut loose like an animal

by traumatic (orphan_account)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha!liam, Alpha!zayn, Alpha/Alpha Relationship (Ziam), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Blind Character, Blind Harry, Blind!Harry, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg Louis, Omega!Niall, On Hold/Discontinued, Scent Marking, Soulmates Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, They Talk About Mpreg A Bunch Of Times, YES BLIND, alpha!Harry, eventually, omega!Louis, ruts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-04-11 17:10:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 24,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4444808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/traumatic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Louis, you can do some much better than a broken alpha with broken eyes. Why would you want to keep me when you could have anyone else?”</p><p>or where Harry's one of a kind and Louis doesn't fit the traditional description of an omega.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been writing this as a one-shot for months, but it's just not turning out that way. So I made it a chaptered fic! 
> 
> There's a sort of prologue (it could be called other things) at the beginning. I used it as a tool to start writing. 
> 
> Beware of the totally cliche, totally fictional portrayal of Holmes Chapel being a small, closed off community. 
> 
> Title from Royal Blood's 'Ten Tonne Skeleton'.
> 
> Work will remain unfinished as I have no inspiration. I'm also basically disowning it, but leaving my name on it i guess. Sorry.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all begins here.

Louis hasn't found an alpha by age seventeen. Maybe it's because he is a little too sassy (and blatantly disrespectful) or maybe because he really doesn't give one fuck.

He doesn't want some shitty replaceable alpha.

He wants his soul-mate. The person whose atoms had been next to his when the Earth was created.

He wants the person that he was sawed in half from by Zeus.

He wants the person who will wear cheesy, fucked up footie pajamas and fuck him senseless.

He wants _his_ alpha.

Of course he's heard the stories—who hasn't?— about the mates destined to be together. Had seen it first hand when he was ten, but he's never experienced it himself.

Sure, he's dated, but they weren't his other half. No, never. And Louis won't settle for anything but.

He'd rather die than let some greasy haired, bossy alpha bite his neck and control him for eternity.

-

"Lou!" Someone shouts and Louis groans, throwing an arm across his eyes.

The curtains are open, so the bright and unfiltered light shines through his room, blinding him momentarily.

"What?" He says, unceremoniously whining.

It isn't his mom—she's working a double shift at the hospital and won't be home until Louis is at school—so he reaches out and smacks whoever it is.

"Ow! Get up, you asshole! It's seven!" It's Zayn, Louis can tell.

"No." Louis says and rolls over, effectively shielding his sleep-ridden eyes from Zayn's torturous sunlight.

"Come on, Louis! Your mom expects me to get you to school on time!" Zayn whines and Louis groans.

Zayn has been Louis' best friend for as long as he can remember. Sure, he's a fucking moron, but Louis loves his flat alpha ass all the same.

"Why must the educational system torture me in such ways?!" Louis sits up, grumbling. "Get the fuck out, Flat Ass."

"No. You'll just go back to bed." Zayn places his hands on his waist, testing him. "I picked out your clothes already."

"Why on God's green Earth would you do that?!" Louis is appalled. "You probably made a mess of my colour-coded system!"

"Colour-coded system. Please," Zayn rolls his eyes, "it's more like a fucking mess."

"Shut up!" Louis groans, sliding out of bed and standing in front of Zayn. "Where's it?"

"In the bathroom, dude. And you better hurry! Only ten minutes until we leave!" Zayn grins.

"What the fuck, man?!" Louis whines.

He needs at least a half hour to sort out his hair.

"Sorry. I overslept." Zayn snickers. "Now go!"

Louis gets dressed by seven thirty-one, and has eaten exactly one bite of toast before Zayn is pushing him outside and toward his car.

-

When they arrive at school, Louis groans.

He's so sick and tired of it, honestly, and, being a junior, it means that he still has two years before he leaves this shithole.

"Fuck," Louis mutters, sliding rather ungracefully out of Zayn's car, knees aching because Zayn's seats are pulled extremely close to the dashboard.

He shakes out his legs and joins Zayn as they walk through the building, the crowds of itty bitty freshman parting for them like the Red Sea for Moses.

Louis loves it, honestly.

"See you at lunch?" Louis says, stopping at his locker.

Zayn's is somewhere far across the school with the M-s. For Malik, obviously.

"Yeah. Adios."

Louis opens his locker and pulls out his books for the first half of the day, groaning when he realizes he'd left his math book on his kitchen table.

Fuck his entire life.

-

Louis grabs an apple off the counter and a bottle of water, paying the money owed to the lunch lady with a flicker of a smile.

"Thanks." He murmurs and walks toward Zayn.

He sits down next to him, rubbing the apple on his shirt to rid it of any grotesque things, before biting into it.

"Did you hear about the new kid?" Zayn asks, eyes glancing across the lunchroom and landing on the senior alpha he's been crushing since, like, year nine. Layne or something, Louis can't be bothered to remember.

Louis doesn't care because Zayn's sexual preferences confuse him. What alpha needs another one? How would that even _work_? But Louis lets Zayn do Zayn and doesn't even think of voicing his concerns.

"No." Louis says, excited almost because the new kid might be his soulmate! "Not a word about him actually."

"He's an alpha." Zayn mumbles. "Apparently. He starts school tomorrow and, like, everyone is saying there's something off about him. Something unnerving."

"That's bullshit and you know it, Z." Louis snickers. "They say that about every new kid."

Small towns have a tendency to do that. It's a cliche and Zayn knows it.

"I know but...I have this weird feeling, you know? Like, I dunno." Zayn shrugs.

Louis wants to laugh because is Zayn _high_? But he doesn't because Zayn is an extraordinarily sensitive individual.

"Alright, man. I guess we'll find out tomorrow, eh?"

"Yeah," Zayn sighs, "guess we will."

-

Louis wakes up on his own the next morning.

He showers and changes into his good jeans—he'd washed them yesterday in case the new alpha _is_ his soulmate—and a t-shirt and Vans.

By the time he finishes styling his hair, Zayn's bounding into his room, squealing for him to wake up.

Sucks to suck, Zayn.

"Why're you up so early?" Zayn asks, leaning against the door.

He has a leather jacket pulled over his shoulders and a grin on his lips.

"Dunno." Louis shrugs. "I just...am."

He wanders down into the kitchen, glancing at the note from his mom on the fridge ( _working late tonight! Don't wait up, love! -mum xx)_ and grabbing the milk.

He pours cereal into two dishes and then milk, sitting down across from an amused looking Zayn.

"Never seen you do something so...domestic." Zayn muses, munching on his Lucky Charms.

"I'd like to point out that I am an Omega and therefore have the ability to be domestic." Louis scoffs.

"Whatever." Zayn rolls his eyes.

They finish quickly and soon they're in Zayn's cramped little car on their way to school.

-

"Have you seen him yet?" Zayn asks as they sat side by side in Ceramics.

It's the only class they share together and it kind of sucks. But whatever. Louis can handle Mr. D's verbose monologues about kilns and glazing techniques if it means gossiping with Zayn.

"No. Have you?" It's fifth period for Christ's sake.

How has Louis not seen him?

"No," Zayn says back, "but Ni sent me a Snapchat of 'im."

Louis glances over at Zayn's phone, seeing the blurry, unfocused picture of the back of a boy with dark curly hair.

"He says he's strange." Zayn whispers.

"Strange how?"

"Dunno. Didn't ask."

Louis rolls his eyes and takes out his phone, sending Niall a quick text before Mr. D notices and whines about the lack of 'moral integrity' in today's youth. Whatever that means.

**To Niall at 10:32 am**

**yo, about that new kid. What's strange about him???**

A few seconds later, his phone buzzes and he unlocks it.

**From Niall at 10:33 am**

**he wore sunglasses in class and i was wtf dude it's not even summer r u hungover**

**From Niall at 10:33 am**

**he just walked away and I was still like wtf**

**To Niall at 10:33 am**

**that's weird af. He's an alpha, though right?**

**From Niall at 10:33 am**

**yeah definitely. Hot too**

**To Niall at 10:34 am**

**wish i had a fuckin class with the kid jfc. What class was it anyway?**

**From Niall at 10:34 am**

**trig and like Mrs. T was like fawning over him**

**From Niall at 10:34 am**

**it was fucking gross to look at. She was like oh, are u ok sweetie? Is your chair toO hard? Can u hear me? Need a blanket? Some condoms???**

Louis grins at that, chortling out a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Zayn asks, pouting minutely.

"Texting Niall." Louis murmurs, composing a 'wt actual f niall' text. "He said he wore sunglasses in class."

"Maybe he's just hungover? Starting a new school can be quite stressful." Zayn muses.

"Hopefully he's got lunch with us so you can ask." Louis chuckles as Mr. D yells once more.

"Guys, listen to me! The structure in which the pottery is built is the most important part!" And Louis is gone, halfway between asleep and awake.

-

Louis grabs his usual lunch—an apple and a water—and walks out of the aisle, frowning minutely at Zayn.

"Hey, um...I'm gonna sit with Liam," ah, so _that's_ his name, "for today. Just for today. See you on the field later?" Zayn's a real asshole.

But it's whatever and Louis tells him just that.

"Go on. Get a piece of that firm alpha ass." Louis rolls his eyes, fond until the end.

"Thanks, Lou!" Zayn chirps and he's gone, crossing the cafeteria to sit with cool-kid-Layne-the-Alpha.

Louis grumbles to himself, looking out across the cafeteria to find somewhere not-so-empty to sit.

He spots a seat by a nice looking lad, so he walks toward him and raps his knuckles on the table.

"Mind if I sit?" Louis asks and he can smell that the man's an alpha.

He can't explain what an alpha smells like, just that it smells good. Alluringly good. Like funnel cake in the middle of a fair or the burned marshmallow markers that came with his sisters' art kit.

This kid's, though, his scent is _strong_. Alluringly, painstakingly strong.

"Not at all. Go ahead." The boy says and his voice sends shivers down Louis' back.

Louis sits, staring at the kid's sharp cheekbones before grinning.

The new kid! The new alpha! He's found him. Fucking finally.

"I'm Louis, by the way." He says, opening his water to take a drink.

"Harry." The boy muses, fumbling around with the cap on his soda bottle.

It rolls across the table, hitting Louis' arm. Louis smiles tightly, placing the kid down in front of Harry.

"How're you liking Holmes Chapel?" Small talk.

Louis can do small talk.

"It's alright. Small town, though. Everyone seems to know one another."

That voice. It makes something inside Louis stir.

Probably his stomach.

He's always hungry.

"Yeah, it sucks to be new here. We've all known each other for most of our lives. The new kids that do show up usually end up leaving." Louis sighs.

Harry doesn't look at Louis when Louis spills his water all over the table. Just lets it drip onto his pants like he hasn't seen it at all.

"Oh, dear!" Harry gasps. "Did I...?"

"No, no. It was me." Louis says, very much confused. "I'm so sorry. God, I just met you and I'm already spilling things on you. Christ."

"It's okay, Louis." Harry says, chuckling. "Worse things have happened."

"No! I make horrible first impressions. When I first met Zayn, I spilled applesauce all over his head. Of course I was four years old but whatever." Louis rushes to Harry's side, groaning at the amount of water that has cascaded onto Harry. "Come on. You can borrow my spare pair of pants. They're in my locker."

Louis always keeps them in there in case of emergencies **—** mostly slick related ones, but whatever. 

Louis grabs Harry's arm, wrenching him up and dragging him out of the cafeteria.

Harry stumbles to walk instep with Louis, long legs taking large steps before aligning his pace with Louis'.

"Where you from, Harry?" Louis asks, skin tingling from the contact with Harry's.

That's certainly never happened before.

"All over, really. London, Manchester, Wolverhampton. I don't stay long." Louis can sense the but, but doesn't say anything about it.

"I've never left here, personally. Single mom barely supports us, so we stick to what we know." Louis shrugs, sauntering up to his locker.

He stops, turns the dial three times, and then opens it.

"Most places aren't worth the trip." Harry says, hands hanging limply at his sides.

"Why's that?" Louis asks, shuffling through his bag to pull out a pair of dark grey jeans.

"Schools are full of jerks, streets are crowded, food's boring. I leave every time it gets too bad." Harry shrugs and Louis holds the jeans up to size him.

He'll probably fit, though they'll be short on his long legs. Louis grabs the belt in his locker, too, because Harry has narrower hips.

"Do you, like, get bullied?" Louis asks, placing the jeans over his arm and beginning to walk away.

He looks back over his shoulder, frowning at Harry standing in the same spot, staring at the closed locker.

"Used to, yeah." Harry says, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Louis?"

"Here, here." Louis walks back over, hand on Harry's arm. "Why bully you? You're gorgeous."

"My sight...or my lack thereof." Harry's voice is low, bitter with the harsh chuckle that follows.

"Your eyes? I'm sure they're gorgeous. Even behind the glasses." Louis frowns.

How can anyone bully Harry? He seems so...lovely.

"I wouldn't bet on that." Harry sighs.

"I would." Louis muses, gripping Harry's arm and tugging him toward the bathroom.

"What colour are the pants?" Harry asks and Louis nods to himself.

Harry's blind, definitely. And that's okay. Everyone's got their flaws.

"Grey." Louis says back, pushing Harry into a stall, pants in hand. "They match, so don't worry."

"Thank you." Harry says. "It's been a long time since I've seen kindness." He laughs. "Well, since I've _heard_ kindness."

Louis hears Harry zipper up his pants. "Thank you again. For the pants."

Harry walks out of the stall, glasses askew.

"It's no problem. I spilled my water so I am responsible." Louis shrugs. "Here. I'll take those."

Louis takes the wet pants from Harry's hands and allows him to wash his own.

_"Can I see your eyes?"_ Louis wants to ask, wondering what colour hides under the dark, dark shades.

But he doesn't because he just met Harry and that might be a little too strong of an icebreaker.

He grabs Harry's arm instead and leads him out of the bathroom, promising himself that he'll be friends with the kid no matter what.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> M&M pizza is a god given gift to humanity. Don't fight me on this.
> 
> My mom has a swear jar, too. It's a literal thing ok.

The next day, Louis' schedule differentiates from normal. On Thursdays, he has an anatomy lab first thing in the morning, and no ceramics. 

He heads to his first period and is delighted to see Harry Styles in his seat.

"Ah, Harry, it's nice to see you again." Louis announces, walking over.

He sits down in the seat next to Harry, knowing that Kat, his lab partner, won't mind.

She hates Louis anyway.

"Louis." Harry says, voice slow and placid.

He's got different glasses on today. Navy blue ones with white inscriptions on the side.

"Guess Mrs. J made you my lab partner." Louis says and he's pretty excited.

"Guess so." Harry grins, languid like honey.

Mrs. J is a thirty year old woman with dark gold hair and a vendetta against him. He's not sure what he did to piss her off, but he knows that she hates him for it. 

She takes roll, calling Harry's name with a disconcerted frown, before standing in front of the class.

"Thank God it's lab day, kids." She says with an exasperated smile.

Louis' arms get goosebumps in disgust when she looks at him and her smile drops into a frown.

"Today, we're doing a lab involving you and your partner. You'll diagram the bones in the human body. Papers are at your tables. Go forth." She sits back down at her desk and the class shuffles to their retrospective lab seats. "Harry, you'll have to have _Mr. Tomlinson_ assist you. I forgot to find you an alternative worksheet."

Harry nods, the epitome of polite, and Louis grabs Harry's arm and leads him to his lab table.

"So," Louis says as he writes both of their names at the top of their paper, "tell me things about you."

"Why?" Harry asks, voice light.

"Because I want to be your friend and being friends requires me to know things about you." Louis nudges Harry's shoulder.

And so Harry tells Louis about himself as Louis fills in the diagram.

Turns out Harry's never had a permanent home because of the bullying, he lives with his mother and sister, his sister 'actively despises' him because it's supposedly his fault that they move a lot, his favourite place that he's lived in was Doncaster because they were nice the longest and that he's an alpha—which Louis already knew—and a "disgrace to his family name" because of his blindness.

Louis thinks the last thing is bullshit. The eye-thing doesn't make Harry weaker. It makes him stronger. His family _has_ to know that. 

"Tell me about you now." Harry leans his head on his hand. "But first, which body parts don't you know?"

"The name of the lower jaw. I know it, but I can't remember." Louis quirks his mouth unattractively to one side.

The mandate? Margin? Louis doesn't fucking know. 

"The mandible." Harry supplies. "Now go."

Louis tells him the truth.

"My best friend's named Zayn and he's an alpha." Genders are very important to alphas, Louis remembers his father being concerned with it before he left. "I have a bunch of siblings, but they live with my mum's ex-husband most days in Doncaster, so I rarely see them. I have a three point zero GPA and I hate school. I'm an omega, which you can probably tell, and my favourite food is pizza with M&Ms from Tommy's Pizzeria."

"M&Ms? On your _pizza_?" Harry crinkles his nose. "Gross."

"It's not gross!" Louis says, defensive.

No one disses his pizza and gets away with it.

Not even Harry with his cute little dimples and adorable askew glasses.

"It's fantastic and you must try it with me. How about tomorrow? I'll pick you up and we'll go for pizza. To prove how majestic M&M pizza is."

Louis has never been so bold in his entire life.

"Deal." Harry challenges.

"Got a phone?" Louis asks and Harry nods.

"Though you won't know how to use it. It's got all of these special cues because I'm blind." 

"I knew that." Louis says, grinning.

"Sure you did. What's your number? I'll put it in."

They exchange numbers and Louis can't believe he's got a date—though it's _not_ a date, he reminds himself. It's a mutual meeting to discuss pizza toppings—with Harry Styles.

Damn, he's smooth.

-

At lunch, Louis sits with Harry.

Zayn gives him an odd and inquisitive look, sitting alone at their table, but stands and settles down with senior alpha Layne anyway.

Louis smiles at Harry, though he can't see it.

"How're you liking it here so far? Anyone giving you trouble?" Louis asks, faking nonchalance.

If anyone's fucking with Harry, Louis will have their heads. On sticks. In his front yard.

He's pretty sure he's not kidding.

"It's pretty great. The teachers are nice to me, except for Mrs. J, and I've already got a friend. So." Harry smiles, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Well, I'm glad." Louis says, gnawing on his apple.

"I'm excited for pizza tomorrow." Harry admits, smiling around a bite of his sandwich.

"Me too!" Louis grins. "Can't wait to introduce you to the amazing thing that is Tommy's M&M pizza."

"I hope it's as good as you say it is," Harry cringes, delicate.

Louis thinks it's the most attractive thing he's ever seen.

"It's better than you can even imagine. All cheesy, salty goodness and sweet, smooth chocolate." Louis moans.

"You sound in love." Harry muses, feeling across his section of the table for the lid for his soup canister.

It's in Louis' hands because he's a sneaky little shit and he's not ready to go back to class yet.

"Have you seen my thermos lid?" Harry asks after his hands have touched every available inch of the table.

"No, I haven't." Louis says, innocently, the lid still gripped between his fingers.

"Liar." Harry says, a sly grin on his lips. "I can hear your fingernails scraping on the plastic."

"How can you hear anything in here?" Louis says, awed. "It's too fucking loud."

"My other senses make up for the lacking of sight." Harry shrugs, smirking. "Now hand me the bloody lid."

Louis rolls his eyes, but passes the lid to Harry anyway, mindlessly.

His fingers graze Harry's and that same tingling shoots up his arm. He pulls back with an awkward cough, teeth gnawing on his lower lip.

"Ready to go?" Harry asks, things all packed up in his lunchbox.

"Yeah." Louis says, standing.

He touches the back of Harry's shoulder.

"Let's get you to Computers and Technology." Louis smiles, hand low against Harry's back.

-

The next day, Louis is thrumming with nervous energy.

He's got his phone pressed to his ear, one hand on the wheel while the other thrums a song on his thigh, and a not-date with Harry Styles in three minutes.

"Harry, hey, it's Lou again. Calling to say I'm nearly to your house. Like, I'm getting out of the car now. I hope you're ready." Louis stops the car, turns it off, and gets out, hanging up in the process.

He walks up to a tall, white house with blue shutters and frowns, nervous. It looks like the house from The fucking Notebook, not that Louis has watched that or anything. 

He walks to the door, paces for a few seconds, and then knocks.

"Who're you?" Says a girl, probably only a few years older than Harry after she opens the door.

"I'm Louis." He says, soft. "I'm here to see Harry. He's here, right?"

"Oh," her tone dries up, bitter, "he's here. Come in. I'll get him."

She holds the door open and Louis ducks inside.

The boxes are high, some half-open, others taped shut.

He sees one labeled with Harry's name and then the word medicines.

It's still taped shut.

"Harry!" The girl who is definitely an alpha calls as she walks down the hallway, leaving Louis alone in the living room.

Louis immediately doesn't like her. She seems like someone who would hate her family because of something they have no choice in.

Louis turns in a circle instead of voicing his distaste, awed by the beauty of the house.

Someone in that house must be really fucking rich, Jesus Christ.

A large balcony cuts over the living room, connecting the two sides of the house, beautifully tall staircases leading to them.

God, this house is practically from The Princess Diaries!

Louis _loves_ The Princess Diaries.

"Lou!" Harry says, smiling as he enters the room.

Louis is still gaping at the grandeur of the house.

"This house is like a fucking palace." He says as a woman cuts through the room.

"Swear jar!" She says, thoughtlessly.

"What?" Louis smiles.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" The woman says, unabashed. "Not to be rude, but who are _you_?"

"A friend of Harry's." Louis nods. "We're going out for pizza, if that's okay with you?"

"Of course!" She smiles. "Just glad he's got a friend!"

Louis smiles, humbled.

"You're Louis, right?" She smiles, sly.

Louis grins at Harry, nodding.

"That's me."

"Oh! Harry's mentioned you! Though your voice isn't as heavenly as he made it out to be. You are quite easy on the eyes, though. Just so you know, H."

Louis really really likes this woman.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she's a fellow omega. Louis, as one himself, can sense it. Or maybe it's because she, like his mum and him, doesn't seem super submissive like some omegas can be.

"Mum!" Harry yelps, cheeks flaming. "Stop!"

"You should've heard him," she grins, "going on about how your voice is just... _so_...perfect."

"Oh, really?" Louis grins, nudging Harry's hip with his own.

"No!" Harry croons, covering his face. "Mum!"

"Yes." She teases. "Alright, I'll let you lads get to your date."

Louis just smiles at her as she walks away. She stops, though, turning around and pointing a stern finger at Louis.

"If you curse in my house again, it's the swear jar for you!" And then she's gone.

Louis grins, chuckling lightly.

"Your mum's wonderful." Louis says, touching Harry's arm lightly.

"She's embarrassing." Harry mumbles, staring at the ground, cheeks still flamed.

"She's right. I am easy on the eyes." Louis laughs. "Maybe I'll let you feel my face so you can decide for yourself."

"I'm sure you're gorgeous." Harry says, blushing hard.

"You're too kind!" Louis coos, pinching Harry's cheeks. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." Harry says, blindly fumbling with his shirt. "Let's go."

-

Louis pulls up to Tommy's Pizzeria, grinning at Harry.

"Ready to meet the love of my life?" Louis asks. "His name's Tommy."

"Oh," Harry stammers, "yeah, sure, definitely."

Louis shrugs his shoulders, parking the car and taking out the keys. He doesn't help Harry out of the truck because Harry doesn't seem to need it.

Louis would be glad to help if that's what Harry wanted, but it seems like he's got it down. Once they both get out, Louis leads Harry inside.

"Hey, Louis!" Tommy shouts from behind the counter. "Want the usual?"

"You got it, T." Louis grins back, hand on Harry's back.

"Go on, then. I'll bring it out." Tommy says and the winks, mouthing, "He's hot!" with a grin.

Louis nods back, grinning.

"I know!" He mouths, leading Harry to a booth.

They sit down across from each other and the waitress, Natalia, places two glasses of water in front of them.

"Thanks, Nat." Louis smiles.

"No problem, Louis." And she leaves.

"So, Harry, are you ready to taste the best goddamned invention on this planet?" Louis asks.

"Is it better than deodorant? Because I think deodorant is probably a better invention than pizza."

Louis gasps, hand over his heart.

"This pizza is better than everything!" He says, shocked.

Pizza is a gift from the gods.

"I think you're a wee bit lost. Deodorant is a necessity." Harry deadpans.

"It is not! I could not live without food. I could, however, live without deodorant. Though I wouldn't like to."

"You're quite strange, Louis Tomlinson." Is all Harry says in return.

After some mindless chatter about the importance of deodorant versus M&M pizza, Natalia comes back and places their pizza down onto the table.

"Here you go, lads." She grins. "Can I get you anything else?"

"I'm good. Harry?" Harry shakes his head, smiling softly at the open space between Nat and the doors.

"Okie dokie then. I'll be back in a bit to collect your plates." She wanders off, helping another customer.

Louis breaks the pizza up, placing two pieces on two plates. He places Harry's down in front of him and begins to grin.

"Ready? It's right in front of—"

"I know." Harry says, smug. "I can tell."

Louis huffs, watching Harry as he takes a small bite of the pizza.

Harry chews for a moment and Louis stares, knowing he shouldn't be so enamoured by the way Harry's mouth moves but not really caring.

"It's good." Harry says, grin wide on his cheeks. "Not better of an invention than deodorant, but still pretty good."

"Oh, shut it." Louis teases, tearing into his own slice.

When he speaks again, his voice is fond and soft.

"You're just jealous of how pretty it is."

"I can't be jealous of something I can't see." Harry points out and Louis scoffs.

"Yell, well, you're jealous of how good it tastes in comparison to you." Louis shrugs and then stares wide-eyed.

"Sexual innuendo." Harry grins, languid and smooth. "A very, very weak one."

" _What?_ " Louis says, huffing a breath in order to regain some sort of composure. "Sexual innuendo? What? You're nuts."

"I _have_ nuts." Harry guffaws. 

"Oh my _god_." Louis mutters, burying his face in his hands.

No one has worked him up this much since, well, ever.

Harry Styles is a fucking enigma, Louis decides.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No update schedule, I'll remind you again. 
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated so much. You can't even begin to fathom. 
> 
> Thanks! x


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's rut begins, Louis worries, Zayn gets laid (probably not, actually), and eyes are things to be pined over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll remind you that this was previously a oneshot. It has time jumps woven into it because it was squished into 7k words (it's more than that now but). 
> 
> Also, no editing schedule.

The next few weeks fly by.

Louis eats with Harry at lunch, Zayn eats with Layne, Harry never takes off his glasses, and Harry and Louis eat at Tommy's every Friday. It's the best life Louis could ask for. Well, accept for mating Harry, but.

Before Louis knows it, it's December tenth and he's so attached to Harry's presence that when he misses school, Louis becomes extremely worried.

 _Where_ is _he?_ Louis wonders, standing at Harry's locker, minutes late for class.

He doesn't care about being late. He just cares about Harry.

He calls Harry's cell, getting sent straight to voicemail, and then he calls his house.

"Hola," Gemma says into the phone.

"Hey, um, is Harry around? He's late and I'm quite worried." Louis gnaws at his lip, crossing his ankles.

"Yeah, he's...he's inebriated at the moment." She says falsely.

Harry's drunk? Maybe Louis is thinking too literally.

"He's in rut, isn't he?" Louis whispers, low and soft.

The thought sends a shiver through him.

"Yeah," Gemma sighs, "he won't be back to school for a week or so."

Alphas ruts only come every six months or so, unlike omegas who have heats monthly or bimonthly.

"Oh, okay." Louis sighs. "Thanks, Gemma. When it's over or he's sobered up a bit, have him call me, will you?"

"Of course." Gemma says. "I'll have him call."

"Thanks again. Bye."

"Bye."

Louis hangs up.

-

And then it's December twentieth and Harry _still_ hasn't returned to school.

He hasn't called Louis once, has denied every call Louis makes after Gemma says he's out of his rut, and Louis doesn't understand _why_.

What's wrong with Harry? Better yet, what's wrong with _Louis_?

He goes to school, feeling exhausted and tired and nervous as he walks down the halls, Zayn at his side.

"What do you think's wrong with him, Z?" Louis asks, scratching behind his ear.

"Dunno. Maybe he had laryngitis? From, like, yelling as he came—"

"Enough." Louis says, flat, as he licks his lips. "What's going on with you and that Layne guy?"

"Payne, Lou. Liam _Payne_." Louis should really try to remember that.

It looks like it offends Zayn when Louis gets his name wrong.

Oops.

"I think he likes me." Zayn grins, sparkly white and radiating.

"Well, he'd be dumb as fuck not to." Louis says bluntly. "I mean, look at you. You're a stunner, Z."

"Thanks, Lou." Zayn smiles.

"Just know that if he fucks with you in the bad way, I'll chop of his dick and sew it to his forehead." Louis opens his locker, casual.

"That's good to know, though I can take care of myself. I _am_ an alpha." Zayn says with a masculine sort of frown. "See you later?"

"You're still driving me home, right?"

Zayn's been more than a bit flaky lately.

That Liam Payne guy is taking all of his time and Louis is _really_ fucking over it. He doesn't say anything about it, though, because he doesn't want to break Zayn's heart inadvertently. 

"Shit, Lou, I'm sorry. I totally forgot!" Zayn frowns, hands in his hair.

"It's fine." Louis says, dismissive. "I'll get Niall to drop me. It's no big deal. Go have fun with Payne...but not _too_ much fun, you hear me?"

"Yes, sir." Zayn salutes and then stalks off, presumably to his Payne.

Louis pulls out his books for the day and goes to class.

At lunch, he's been sitting at a table with a bunch of teenage girls with poor taste in music, but today he sees Harry sitting at their adjoined table.

He slowly walks over, nervously rapping his knuckles against the table like he did the first day.

"Can I sit here? Or have you suddenly become allergic to me?" Louis' voice has a bite to it that neither of them expect.

"Sit." Is all Harry says before going back to his lunch.

Louis stares angrily at Harry as he eats his apple, bitterly chastising himself.

He should've just sat with the Bieber loving girls. At least with them he could've said something about their subconscious self-hatred. With Harry, though, he doesn't know what to say.

"Yeah," is what he says, slow, "I just want you to know that _this_? _This_ is bullshit. Why were you ignoring me? Gemma told me you've been fine for the past five days. And I've called and texted and I even dropped by, but I just kept getting the same message. I don't mean to be clingy but I thought we were _friends_ , Harry, and I guess I was wrong. So fucking wrong. I'll leave you alone from now on." Louis stands up, grabbing his water bottle and apple.

He throws them in the trash as he passes, heading to the nurse's office to ask if she'll send him home.

She does.

-

It's another two days before Harry speaks to Louis voluntarily.

It's Thursday, so they have anatomy together first thing in the morning.

Louis is having a lazy day, as it's the last school day before Christmas break, and is wearing grey sweats, loose underwear, and a beanie he'd gotten yelled at for having on his head. Fuck public school and it's stupid dress codes. 

He sits down at the lab table, scooting his chair as far from Harry's as possible.

Harry enters, looking as gorgeous and lanky as ever, braille books tucked safely under his arm.

Louis crosses his arms over his chest, turning his head to look at the group next to him. They're talking about nonsensical stuff like when the girls' heats are. 

Louis' isn't due for a while. He never keeps tracks of the date or anything, but he knows he just had one, like a few weeks back. 

"Lou," Harry says, turning to look at him, "I'm sorry for ignoring you."

"Oh, _wow_." Louis makes a faux impressed face. "It only took you two days to apologize. I'm impressed."

"I was having trouble speaking to you...or any other omegas. Including my mother." Harry mutters, low. "Doctors say it's because of the damage to my eyes, you know? My heat was more mental than usual. I couldn't even speak to an omega."

"Why?"

"They don't know. I asked Gemma not to tell you anything, but I was at the hospital for days."

Louis leans back in his chair again, frowning.

"Really?"

Louis can't be pissed if Harry really was in the hospital.

"Yeah. They ran all sorts of tests on me, like usual. I'm the first blind alpha to actually, like, reach maturity on time, so everything's a mess." Harry shrugs. "I'm used to it. They've been prodding at me since I presented."

God, Louis is an idiot.

"I'm sorry for acting like an ass. I was just mad because—"

"Morning, class! Hush and we'll get started for labs!"

"Later." Harry mouths, grinning.

Later.

-

Everything's alright after that.

They spend Christmas break with their retrospective families, but Louis and his family go over Harry's for their New Year's party. Anne and Jay get on quite well—they're nurses at the same hospital, so they already knew each other—and it's a good winter vacation.

After Harry and Louis return the school, they have lunch together every day and, on Fridays, they go out to Tommy's for M&M pizza.

It's completely ordinary and Louis figures it's their routine now. He loves it.

But Louis has yet to see Harry's eyes and it's sort of killing him. All he wants is a peek, one quick glance to see what damn colour they are! Then he'd be satisfied.

But how would he even go about asking?

_"Oh, hey, I just want a peek at your biggest insecurity, H! No big deal!"_

Ha, _no_.

His phone buzzes next to him and he answers it, half asleep.

"Hello?"

"Yo, prick. Haven't spoken to you in ages! What, been too busy for me?" It's Zayn, obviously.

"Oi," Louis says, mock-wounded, "you bastard. You've been too busy snogging Liam!" Louis finally— _finally!_ —remembers his name.

"Whatever." Zayn scoffs. "Xbox later?"

"Can't. Going for pizza with Harry. It's Friday." Louis smiles to himself.

"Whatever, bro." Zayn huffs. "I don't mean to go all touch-y feeling-y on you, but it seems as though you've forgotten my entire existence and it's pissing me off."

"Ooh. Zayn's secretly the exact cliche of a girl. Who'd have thought?" Louis snickers. "I bet Liam's in for a big surprise when he finally gets into your pants."

"Oh, fuck off." Zayn snaps. "We need to hang out. ASAP."

"Clingy." Louis teases with a laugh. "Tomorrow? I have no plans or anything."

"Yeah, text me later." Zayn says simply. "Bye."

Louis hangs up without a bye, because that's how he is, and gets out of bed.

He'd skipped school today in favour of sleeping, though he'd called Harry and told him he'd pick him up at his house.

He pulls on jeans and grabs a shirt off the floor, tugging it over his head as he walks into the kitchen. He steps into his shoes, fixes his hair in the reflection of the refrigerator, reads the note from him mum ( **working late again, sweetie! I'm off tomorrow, though! Have a good day at school -mum xx** ), and nabs his keys off the counter.

He checks the time, groaning when he realizes just how late he is, and starts his car.

-

"I'm sorry!" Is the first thing Louis says to Harry when the door's opened.

Only, it's not Harry. It's Gemma.

"Oh, hi, Gemma." Louis says, awkward.

"Yeah, hi." She says with a sigh. "Harry! Lou's here!"

"Thanks." Louis says and then she walks off.

Louis wanders through the foyer, closing the door behind him.

"Coming!" He hears Harry yell from upstairs.

Louis nods to himself. He's going to do it today.

He's going to ask about Harry's eyes.

His heart beats faster at the thought.

He shuffles his feet as Anne walks past him with a small smile.

"Lou." She says.

"Anne." He says back and she grins before walking toward the front door.

Louis has been over Harry's house a lot. He drives him to and from school (usually) and they hang out nearly every day.

They're the best of friends. Louis doesn't want to ruin that, but the pull in his gut whenever Harry's name is mentioned makes him want to.

"Have him home by eight, okay? We've got an early day tomorrow." Anne says as she pulls on a coat. "Doctors' appointments and all."

"Okay. He'll be back at exactly eight." Louis smiles and she bids him farewell as she ducks out of the house.

Louis glances at the now-small stack of boxes next to the doorway. Three remain. Family photos, Gem's summer clothes, and Harry's medicines.

All still unopened.

Louis will have to ask Harry about those as well.

"Ready?"

Louis turns his head, grinning at Harry's grin.

"What took you so long?" Louis smiles.

"It takes time to look this great." Harry spins and Louis laughs.

"Let's go." Louis lets Harry take his arm like the gentleman he is and leads him out.

Louis turns his head as they walk, watching the grin on Harry's face, the flutter of his eyelashes behind the navy blue glasses, the twinkle of a forbidden sight.

"Stop staring." Harry says, still grinning. "I can tell—"

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Louis rolls his eyes, fond. "Here, get in."

Louis opens the door and lets Harry in.

"I appreciate you treating me like a normal person." Harry says when Louis gets in on the driver's side.

"You are a normal person, Harry." Louis smiles. "Just a wee bit blind."

Harry doesn't say anything else, just turns his head toward the window and tries to hide his grin. Louis smiles to himself, turning up the radio so his playlist blasts through the car.

-

The song playing is something pop-ish and smooth when Louis parks his car in the parking lot. They both slide out and, by the time Louis gets around the car, he spots Harry stepping in front of a car.

Louis grasps Harry's forearm when he keeps walking as panic strikes through him. 

"Hey, idiot!" Louis says and he sounds less worried than he really is. " _Traffic_!"

"Sorry." Harry frowns. "Forgot."

"It's alright." Louis sighs, heart pounding as a car drives by, fast. "Let's eat."

Harry grabs the crook of Louis' arm and Louis leads him in once the coast is clear.

"Hey, Tommo." Tommy says, leaning on the counter to talk to Louis.

His voice is quiet over the roar of the football game that's playing on the flat screen. A gaggle of people surround it, cheering and booing and laughing.

"Tommy," Louis smirks. "Are you fake watching football so Gerard thinks your cool again?"

Tommy hasn't the basic idea about anything football related.

"Shut up!" Tommy whisper-shouts, glancing over at the Alpha called Gerard.

Tommy's been trying to get with him since Louis met him. Honestly, they'd be perfect together, but Gerard is an oblivious guy. He has no idea that Tommy's been hitting on him for years.

"I love football." Tommy pouts at him.

"Sure, Tommy," Louis grins, "and I love girls."

They both laugh before Tommy turns to Harry.

"Harry! Hello again. Glad to see you've returned again. Don't know how you put up with that mongrel, though."

"Oi, shut it, Tom, or I'll call Jay and have her whoop your ass!" Louis touches Harry's arm again and they walk to their designated table.

They sit across from each other like usual and Louis places his phone onto the table.

"I have some things I'd like to have a discussion about." Louis says.

"Okay. Go ahead." Harry leans on his hands.

"A discussion, of course, being the process of two people discussing something. There is no yelling involved and it is not just me talking."

"Of course." Harry nods.

"Why is there an unopened box labeled 'Harry's Medicines' in your living room?"

Harry sighs, long and indecisive, before he answers.

"I won't take them."

"Why not?"

Louis figures they're good enough friends to talk about personal things like this.

It's only been, like, four months since they met, but still.

"Because I don't like taking them. I'm not dying of a cancerous tumor. I'm just blind because of an eye condition. I'm not in pain, my cells aren't mutated and replicating, I'm not dying. So I don't take them."

"What do your doctors say about this?" Louis is interrupted by Natalie who places down two glasses of water. "Thanks, Nat. We'll have the usual."

"Okie dokie. I'll bring it out when it's ready." She smiles before disappearing into the back room.

Louis turns to Harry, expectant.

"They don't exactly approve, but they said that it's my choice."

"There're side effects?" Louis makes great assumptions.

"The major medication causes a shift in hormones and has the possibility of rendering me infertile. The others have dizziness, sleepiness, and one may even cause me to lose my knot."

"Well then." Louis says, because he's not sure what to say to that.

Louis wouldn't take the meds either if it meant not being able to knock someone up. 

"I guess I'd quit them too." Louis figures honesty is the smart way to go about it.

"Yeah." Harry smiles. "What's the other thing?"

"Huh?"

"You said that you had "some things" to discuss. That was number one."

"I realize this might be a touchy subject, but I was wondering if you'd allow me to see your eyes? I know you can't see mine, but I'll let you feel my face in return."

Louis hasn't yet let Harry do it, though he's asked a few times.

"I'm sorry if I'm pushing it or if this is exceptionally rude—I don't have the ability to tell if something's rude—but I just really would like to see them because I'm sure they're gorgeous and I...yeah."

When Louis gets nervous, he speaks in run on sentences. He thinks it's part of his appeal.

"Um..." Harry says, slow. "Yeah. Why not? We can go to yours or mine and you can see my eyes and I can feel your face."

"Okay." Louis smiles, quick and brilliant. "Yeah. It's a deal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! x


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm a lovesick fool, Louis is bad with dates, and Harry's eyes are green.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm surprisingly on time with all of these updates. I'm awed by myself.

It's just after seven when Louis parks his car in front of his house.

They walk in together, Louis leading Harry around the sharp edges of the house and up into his room.

There, he seats Harry on his green bean-bag chair and sits on Zayn's white one.

"You don't have to do this, you know." Louis says, squeezing his hands anxiously.

"I want to." Harrry says, sighing. "It's not that big of a deal anyway. It's just my eyes and it's just your face."

"True." Louis admits.

He bites his lip, contemplating, before reaching for Harry's hands. His pulse soars with the contact as he places them on his shoulders.

"Go ahead." Louis says, whispering.

Harry's hands slide up Louis' neck, so damn delicate that it aches, and under his jaw.

Harry's knees bump Louis' as his thumbs graze Louis' cheekbones.

He traces every line of Louis' face, his eyebrows, the sharp crook of his nose, and then his lips.

Louis is pretty sure he stops breathing.

Harry rests his hands under Louis' jaw, cupping his neck, as Louis reaches for Harry's glasses.

Harry shivers at the contact and Louis pulls the navy blue glasses off of Harry's face.

"No one's seen my eyes in months." Harry whispers, face so enticingly close to Louis'.

"No one's felt my face like this ever." And it's true.

All of the alphas Louis has dated and Harry is the first allowed to touch him.

"Good." Harry murmurs, eyes closed.

Louis traces his own hands along the planes of Harry's face, ending on his eye sockets. He brushes his thumbs against Harry's eyelashes, smiling softly.

"Open your eyes, love." He says, barely a whisper.

Harry's eyes flutter open and Louis gasps, toes curling in his shoes. His skin tingles, heartbeat pounds in his ears, throat dries up.

He's read about this, but it's so much better than he could've ever hoped.

He stares in Harry's eyes—green, they're _green_ and _so_ beautiful—and leans forward instinctively, the need to be close to Harry too overwhelming to ignore.

"Lou," Harry gasps.

Louis nods at the question on Harry's face and soon enough they're kissing.

It's slow, timid. A fearful brush of their lips. They nearly pull apart, but don't. They just leave their lips pressed against each other's, breathing in bliss.

Louis didn't think it was possible, but here he is, kissing his soul mate.

He's done it.

He's finally succeeded.

Louis pulls back, grinning so hard that it aches and speaks.

"Harry," He says, so soft that it's like a brush of air against skin.

"Please," Harry says, a broken sob falling from his lips. "Please don't leave me."

Louis frowns at him, confused, and reaches to hug him tight to his chest.

"What do you mean? You're my mate. My alpha," Harry purrs through a sob at the title, "I will never leave you."

"I'm broken. Damaged. I'm shit. You...you could do so much better than me. I can't see your beauty, but I feel it. In my heart and on my fingers. You're gorgeous and I'm blind and I want you to have a chance at a good life." Harry says, gripping Louis' shirt tight in his fingers.

"You are the only chance I have at a good life. You're beautiful. I don't need my eyes or my hands to see that. You are so beyond beautiful, Harry."

"Louis," Harry sobs, wet. "You're the best and I-I-I—"

"Hey, shh." Louis coos. "Come on. Get in my bed. I'll call your mom and tell her you're staying over mine, okay?"

Harry nods into Louis' chest, hooking one arm around Louis' waist and feeling for the bed with the other. When he finds it, he hauls them both up onto it with relative ease.

"Don't leave me." Harry whimpers into Louis' chest.

Louis looks up to blink back tears, heart aching for his pretty, blind alpha.

"I would never." Louis swears with fervor. 

Harry falls asleep soon after, clutching Louis tight.

Louis pets his hair back, soothing, while he calls Harry's mother and tells her that Harry fell asleep while watching 21 Jump Street.

After he hangs up, he falls asleep too, elated at finding his one and only and so very sad because his alpha thinks he's broken.

-

When Louis wakes up the next morning, it's to a flash of light.

He opens his eyes, squinting against the sun, to see his mother. She's got a giant grin on her face, phone out, and taking pictures.

"I knew it." She mouths.

"Go away." Louis mumbles, holding Harry tighter against his chest.

Harry squeezes Louis back and it's the best thing Louis has ever felt.

"You're so cute!" She grins, whispering, as she ducks out of the room, phone in hand.

She's probably texting Anne because they're apparently the best of friends. Having mums that are both nurses at the same hospital probably has something to do with it.

-

Louis’ mum drives Harry home later that morning, leaving Louis to sleep until Zayn’s waking him up at quarter to one.

“Get up.” Zayn pushes at his shoulder until Louis sits up, eyes bleary.

Zayn sits next to him, hair a sort of catastrophically beautiful mess as he pushes Louis over, sharp elbow sticking into Louis’ ribs.

“Alright, alright! Let me brush my teeth, you animal.”

Louis walks sleepily to the bathroom where he rinses his face in cool water and brushes his teeth. When he’s finished, he feels more awake, sharper, so he figures he’s coherent enough for Zayn’s drama.

He stumbles back into his room and sighs at Zayn.

“What’s up?” He asks, flopping down onto Zayn’s bean bag chair.

“I have a question for you.” Zayn looks pensive, almost vulnerable. “Do you think my...relationship with Liam is wrong?”

“No,” Louis shakes his head, “why? Did someone say that to you?”

“My dad.” Zayn looks away. “I overheard him and my mum talking after I told them and he was like ‘It’s disgusting, Trish! Two alphas aren’t supposed to be together! It’s wrong. Genders are a thing for a reason!’.”

“Your father’s wrong.” Louis scoffs. “You and Liam...I know I haven’t met him technically, but from what you’ve told me, he’s a good guy. You’re good for each other, you know? Fuck your dad. He’s being close-minded.”

“Yeah,” Zayn sighs, looking troubled.

“What’d Trish say?” Louis gets up and sits next to him, awkwardly comforting.

“She was okay with it.” Zayn’s frown curls into a tiny smile. “She actually told him to shut the fuck up. She said she’d had a relationship with another omega back in the day.”

“Trish is the best.” Louis smiles back. “She knows what’s up.”

“My dad...he made a valid point, though.” Zayn rubs his arm, sighing. “What’re we going to do during ruts? We aren’t made to take a knot. We'll tear each other apart.”

 

And Louis, well, he sees the fucked up logic in that, but.

“You’ll have to find an omega.” Louis shrugs. “One who’s nice and funny and totally awesome so we can swap knot stories and be best omega friends.”

Zayn punches him in the arm and Louis snickers.

“I’m _serious!_ ”

Everything’s going to be alright. Louis just knows it.

He spends the rest of the day with Zayn, kicking Zayn's ass at FIFA and eating homemade dinner with his mum.

-

On Monday, Louis parks his car outside of school, Harry in the passenger seat.

"Welcome to Hell." Louis says, like always, and slides out of the car.

Louis had spent the weekend coaxing Harry into believing that Louis is his omega and that will never change. It'd been hard work, but Louis liked saying 'my alpha', so he enjoyed it in the end.

"You know, as my soul-mate, you're kinda supposed to touch me." Harry says, dark green glasses low on his nose as they walk into school.

Louis reaches up and adjusts them, grinning.

"You have to court me first! I'm a proper lady!" Louis scoffs, mockingly. 

"Dinner, then? Tonight?" Harry asks, fumbling to grab Louis' hand.

He usually holds his arm, so the search is quick. Harry's skin brushes Louis' and it ignites, already warm in the heated school air.

Louis relaxes into the grip on his fingers, sighing.

"As long as you hold my hand all night." Louis says.

He doesn't want to let go of his hand.

It's irrational and clingy and so unlike him, but he doesn't want Harry to go.

"Deal." Harry grins.

"Well, this is your class." Louis sighs.

"Oh, okay." Harry says. "I'll see you in forty-two minutes."

"You certainly will." Louis nods.

And boy, he certainly does.

-

Louis meets Harry outside his classroom, book held tight in his hands.

"Want to skip?" Harry asks and Louis is thoroughly surprised.

Goodie goodie Harry wants to skip class? The _nerve!_

"Hell yeah." Louis isn't feeling the best.

His skin is clammy and he feels warm in his sweats. He's feeling sick to his stomach and itchy, like he's having an allergic reaction to his clothes. It's been like that all morning, an itch he couldn't scratch, a burn he couldn't cool, an ache he couldn't relieve. He'd planned on leaving after lunch and then swinging back for Harry, but this is better. Easier.

So Louis leads Harry to their lockers where they dump their books before heading toward the gymnasium. It's empty, of course, because it's plan period for the gym teacher. When they get there, they hold hands and sneak out the door that Mrs. Wright never bothers to lock, green grass brilliant in the late March sunlight.

"This is so exciting!" Harry says, face turned up to catch the sun's light.

Louis is sure it's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

"It's just skipping class." Louis scoffs.

"No, but it's—" Harry stops abruptly, nose turned up in the air.

That's when Louis feels it.

He usually knows days in advance before it starts. He usually feels the symptoms. He's not sure why he hadn't thought of it. The fever, the sweating, the itchiness.

He stops, too, eyes wide.

"Fuck," he mutters, slick dampening his pants.

He, a weak-nosed omega, can smell it permeating the air. The sugary scent associated with heat and Louis and come. He's surprised Harry's super senses haven't made him fuck Louis right on the turf.

Not that Louis would mind.

"Louis, you're—" Harry's hands are shaking at his sides.

"I know, I know." Louis needs to go. To run far, far away.

Or maybe not.

Maybe Harry'll assist him through this shitty heat.

That...that would be nice. More than nice, even. Fantastic.

"Go home." Harry croaks, voice rough. "I can't—I don't want to...fuck."

"Harry," Louis says helplessly.

He's gotten heats at school before but this...this is endlessly different.

It's stronger, faster, heavier.

Louis feels like he weighs a million pounds, wrapped up in slick-soaked pants and a sweat-dampened shirt.

"Please," Louis can't help the whine.

He just wants to be fucked and mated and knotted.

Oh, fucking hell.

"I can't be here," Harry shakes his head. "I just—I can't."

Louis stumbles backwards, shaking on his legs.

He has to get home, to his heat kit and to his fucking room.

"Tell the nurse," Louis breathes out, heavy, "that I'm going home due to heat-related issues."

"I can't just let you go—"

"You have to, H. Unless you want to fuck me through this." Louis' body tenses with the thought of riding Harry's dick and being mated, knotted.

His cock fattens up in his sweats at the mental image.

"Call someone, Lou. Someone you trust to get you home that isn't a fucking alpha." Harry hisses through clenched teeth, hands in fists as Louis kneels on the ground.

He's taken a few steps back, but all Louis wants is him closer, naked and closer, wrapped around Louis, dick up his ass, teeth in his neck.

"Please," Louis cries, fumbling for his phone.

He just wants sex. Is that so much to ask?

He can barely scan his fingerprint because his hands are shaking so bad, but when he does, he dials the only other omega he's friends with.

"Niall?" Louis whimpers into the phone. "I'm...I'm in need of some assistance."

"What's going on, mate?" Niall asks casually as if Louis' dick isn't rock solid and he isn't leaking slick like a fucking leaky faucet.

"I'm in, uh, heat? On the turf? And I just need a fucking... _fuck_...a fucking ride."

"I'll be there in two minutes." Niall says. "Didn't you know you were going into heat? I can always tell. Guess you're just dumb."

Louis would snort at that if his dick wasn't aching and his ass wasn't soaked.

"Hurry," is all Louis manages to get out before he hangs up.

Harry's still there, pacing back and forth and growling low in his chest.

"Harry," Louis whimpers and Louis hates this. The need, the want, the insecurity.

It's his least favourite part of being an omega.

"God, you smell so _good_ ," Harry groans, hands tugging on his hair.

He's yards away, far enough from Louis that Louis can't read the words on his shirt, but close enough to keep an eye out. Or an ear, Louis supposes.

Goddamn everything.

Louis rolls onto the ground, helpless as the pressure relieves some of the ache in his cock. It still throbs and his pants are bloody soaked, but at least he can see Niall sprinting across the turf to get him.

Harry stops his pacing and faces Niall, growling low in his chest.

"Woah, chill, mate." Niall raises his hands.

Harry sniffs the air and then nods at him, body stiff, dick hard.

Niall rushes over to Louis, helping him stand.

"I'll get him home." Niall assures, "Safe and sound. He'll call you when he's finished."

"Be careful with him. Please." Harry looks pitiful, but beautiful. Stunning, sexy as hell.

Louis just wants his knot and his sperm. Is that too much to ask?

Louis whimpers as Niall helps him limp toward the parking lot.

"We'll take your car, okay? Then I'll walk back to school and take mine home." Niall whispers and Louis barely hears him, too busy staring at Harry in the distance.

Why doesn't Harry want him?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!!!!!! I appreciate it so much!! (p.s. you can find me on twitter [here](https://twitter.com/directjess))


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay despises M&Ms, Zayn apparently looks like a beautiful alien from outer space, and dinner with the parents isn't always as bad as one would think.

When Louis returns to school, it's been four long, slick-soaked days. He wakes up with the realization that he'd wanked to the mental image of Harry for hours, had stuffed a dildo up his ass and thought about Harry's cock, and had stuffed fingers into his ass and pictured Harry's rings pressing against his hole.

To say he feels awkward is an understatement.

He begs his mother for twenty minutes to allow him a pass on school, but she just shakes her head and tells him to put on some joggers and get the fuck to school.

So he does. He's afraid of her mean and scary mum voice.

He pulls on clean sweat pants and a black shirt before he limps his way down the stairs and puts on shoes.

He glares at the back of his mother's head as he pours milk into a bowl full of cereal and sits at the table.

“Stop glaring.” She says, turning something on the stove. “You'll get wrinkles.”

“Already got 'em.” He sighs, mouth full of food.

“How are you feeling?" She asks, plopping her mess of french toast onto a plate and drowning it under syrup and two shakes of powdered sugar.

“Fine.” He answers after she sits across from him.

He's never liked the after-heat talk. He finds it unnecessary and repulsive.

“Did you clean up?"

“Yes, last night. I slept with the spare set.” Louis looks down at his bowl, embarrassed.

“Good.” She smiles. “I'll be home before you go to bed tonight, 'round six. Do you think you can have dinner with me? Or are you too busy with your newest alpha?"

Louis rolls his eyes.

“It's Friday. On Fridays, we get pizza from Tommy's with M&Ms.”

“We can order in!” She says, much to Louis' chagrin. “I'll even let you ruin Tommy's perfection with M&Ms.”

She, as the mother and only guardian in Louis' life, had banned anyone from putting M&Ms on pizza in the house.

“Whatever,” Louis says with a sigh. “I'll ask him.”

“I'll invite Anne so we can fawn over how cute you two are!” She whips out her phone, shoving a mouthful of food into as she does.

Louis huffs and puts his dish in the sink. Before she can yell at him to wash it, Louis points at the clock and grins.

“Gotta run! See you at six!” and he ducks out the door.

When he opens his car door, it smells like pine floor cleaner and strawberry air freshener. Niall or Louis' mum must've cleaned it.

How thoughtful and humiliating.

He gets in and starts the car up, phone in the dash, and drives his ass to hell.

-

The first thing he does after he parks is check his phone.

He's got one message from Zayn— **LOU LIAM TOLD ME HE WANTS TO MATE M8** —and an innumerable amount from Harry.

He, of course, responds to Harry first.

**From Harry: are you okay? i'm very worried and i can't stop pacing across my room and you smell so good and i wish i could've stood guard outside your house but my mum said that was stupid and refused to let me go. are you okay???? i need to know. H.**

Louis smiles softly, proud of his lovely alpha, and responds.

**To Harry: I'm very fine and that's sweet af. u da best <3**

**From Harry: i know :-)**

**From Harry: less than three???? what does that mean???**

**From Harry: oh wait**

Louis laughs as he climbs out of his car, keys jingling in his pocket, and heads toward the entrance.

He spots Zayn and Liam leaning up against his locker and sighs.

“Hello, Zalien.” He says as he nears them.

They both turn to him and Zayn pouts.

“I thought we discussed that Zalien is a bad, bad nickname,” he says with a sigh.

“I like it. You look like you belong in outer space and so the name fits you well.” Louis shrugs and then turns to Liam, whom he's never formally met. “Louis Tomlinson, best friend to Zalien Malik and sort of soul mate to Harry Styles.”

Liam takes Louis' outstretched hand and shakes it.

“Liam Payne, almost mate to Zalien Malik and friend to no one.” Liam says with a hooked grin.

“Liam!” Zayn pouts.

“I like the name Zalien,” Liam muses, hand on Zayn's waist. “It's fitting.”

“Thank you!” Louis says with a hearty laugh.

“He's the most beautiful alien.” Liam looks at Zayn and smiles softly.

Louis wants to puke. Repeatedly. In Zayn's locker. Or maybe on Zayn himself.

“Zalien, your antennas are blocking my locker and I desperately need my math book.”

“Antennae.” Zayn corrects with a lazy snarl as he steps away.

“That's what I fucking said.” Louis bumps his foot into Zayn's calf, only sort of hard.

He shuffles through his books and gathers the ones he needs in his arms before closing his locker and turning to the alien couple.

“I have a sort of soul mate to find and you guys have a sort mating to finish.” Louis nods at them before shuffling through the hall.

He hears Zayn shout from around the corner.

“Does that mean you approve?!”

Louis just laughs as he reaches Harry's locker.

Harry's leaning against it, earphones in and frowning minutely. Louis creeps up on him and whispers “Boo!” into his ear.

He doesn't even jump.

“You're very hard to sneak up on.” Louis sighs.

“No, you're just very loud.” Harry snickers. “Could hear you coming from miles away.”

“Oi! I am like a ballerina. Majestic and silent.”

“About as silent as a gaggle of geese,” Harry snorts. “Can I kiss you?"

“If you can find my mouth, sure.” Louis smiles.

“I'm a little blind, but I'll try.” Harry grins, reaching up to locate Louis.

His fingers grasp the hem of his shirt and then his shoulders, tracing their fiery pathway up to his cheeks where they pause. Harry smiles softly, leaning down to kiss Louis.

But he misses. Of course.

He kisses Louis' eyelashes and then curses.

“Damn,” he shakes his head.

“You'll get it sooner or later.” Louis shrugs.

“The problem is you're too short.” Harry winds his hand around Louis' arm and lets him lead him through the school.

“I am the perfect height. Average. You, my friend, are too tall.” Louis scoffs, nudging Harry with his elbow.

Harry just laughs.

-

Louis picks Harry up from his last class—painting—and they walk to their lockers together.

“I think...” Louis starts to say, “We should tell our parents about the soul mate thing.”

“I think that would be for the best.” Harry nods, a soft smile curling his lips.

Harry's so flawlessly beautiful. Louis isn't sure how he got so lucky.

“My mother wants you to stop by for dinner tonight...M&M pizza.” Louis speaks tentatively as Harry puts his books into his locker.

“Is this a date?" Harry smiles as he shuts his locker.

“If having dinner with our mums counts as a date, then yes.” Louis smiles when Harry grabs his hand.

“I think it does.” Harry muses as they walk toward Louis' locker.

Louis nods and then shoves all of his books carelessly inside before slamming it closed.

“I'll pick you up at 5:30?" Louis asks as they walk toward the car.

“Sounds like a plan, my man.” Harry laughs.

-

“Harry, is it?" Jay smiles as they walk into the house.

Louis has only ever heard her nice mum voice when she's at the hospital or visiting with his sisters. It's odd and, frankly, very disconcerting.

“Yes,” Harry smiles, glasses crooked on his nose. “It's very nice to meet you.”

Louis has the urge to fix them and then drag Harry far, far away from their mums.

“I've heard such wonderful things about you!” She says with a laugh. “Louis, you're right. He is prettier than I could've imagined.”

Harry blushes pink and smiles.

“Now we're just waiting on Anne.”

“Where's she?" Louis asks, leading Harry to the table.

“On her way back from work. She had a double shift, poor thing.” Louis' mum smiles. “She'll probably be a while, so why don't you two go upstairs? She's picking the pizza up.”

Louis thanks god for the escape.

“Call us when the pizza's here!” Louis says, grabbing Harry's hand and practically running up the stairs.

Harry keeps pace pretty well.

They sit on Louis' bed and lay back and decide to watch Tammy. Well, Harry decides to listen to Tammy and Louis decides to describe the scene every time it changes.

Harry apparently loves Melissa McCarthy. And Louis is pretty sure he loves Harry so it works out pretty well.

“How do you think Linore is spelled?" Harry asks as the getaway car is burned.

“Maybe like Eleanor without the 'E'?" Louis supplies.

Harry nods and leans back on the bed, hand warm and tingly on Louis’ thigh. Absentmindedly, he draws patterns on Louis’ knee and Louis loves it. He’d love to stay like that forever.

“It still smells sort of like heat in here,” Harry muses.

“Christ, really?” Louis frowns.

He’d changed the sheets and left the windows open _all_ day! Bloody hell.

“Yeah, but my sense of smell is heightened, so that could be it.” Harry shrugs.

“It’s humiliating,” Louis covers his face with his hands.

He can’t believe it. He’s going to scrub his room for hours after Harry leaves.

“It’s not,” Harry smiles, “Because you smell good.”

“Really?” Louis drops his hands.

It’s not like Harry can see his flushed cheeks anyway.

“Yeah. It smells so good that I want to wear it as cologne, as embarrassing and disgusting as it sounds.”

Louis wrinkles his nose, but smiles all the same.

“Thank you.” Louis says. “Now they’re at the party and Pearl’s drunkenly making a speech.”

“How drunk is she?” Harry asks.

“Plastered. She just flashed the entire crowd of lesbians her boobs!” Louis laughs and so does Harry.

Drunk grandmas are the best.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are immensely appreciated! I grin every time I see a notification on here and then I'm happy all day :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a movie, dinner with the mums, and some stuff that needed discussing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pretty late actually. Sorry, I was on vacation and now I'm home and I'm all sunburnt and it's hell, basically. I hope you like this! x

“Lou! Harry! Anne’s here!” Jay shouts up the stairs, causing Louis to stir awake.

He’d fallen asleep in the middle of the end of the movie! How pathetic of him. Harry probably had no idea what was going on!

He turns to Harry, who’s resting his head on Louis’ shoulder, and smiles.

“Harry Smiles, it’s time for pizza.” Louis whispers, poking Harry in the places where his dimples would be if he smiled.

“I’m sleepy.” He murmurs, turning his head so his nose presses against Louis’ neck.

“Hi, Sleepy. I'm Hungry.” Louis replies dryly.

Harry giggles and Louis grins. What a loser.

“Get up. I tried being cute about it, but we both know I’m too rude for that.”

Harry sits up, rubbing his eyes. It must be a habit to rub the sleep from his unseeing eyes.

“My mum’s here?” He asks, yawning.

“Yeah and she’s got the pizza so let’s haul our asses downstairs.”

Louis stands and stretches his shoulders, listening to the satisfying pop of his shoulder before he reaches for Harry’s hand and begins to lead him down the stairs.

“Glad you decided to join us, boys.” Jay says, grinning from her spot on the living room sofa.

Anne’s seated next to her, still in her Scooby-Doo scrubs.

Louis shrugs with a smile and sits on the loveseat across from them. Harry settles down next to Louis. It’s then that Louis notices Harry’s gone without his glasses.

“Your glasses…” Louis whispers.

“It’s alright.” Harry smiles, but it’s nervous and fragile. “Just my mum, your mum, and my soulmate.”

Louis coos, side-hugging Harry and kissing his cheek. 

"You're beautiful." Louis whispers, loud enough so only Harry can hear.

“Pizza’s hot.” Anne smiles secretively, like she heard. “Dig in.”

Louis fills two plates and hands one to Harry.

“Where’re the M&Ms?” Louis asks, narrowing his eyes at his mother. 

“Fine!” She sighs and tosses him the bag.

Louis grins and sprinkles them on the slices. If having Anne over made Louis' mum abandon all of her bullshit rules, Louis would make her live with them. 

“So,” Anne starts to say, “we want to know what exactly you two are.”

“It’s a mutual concern of ours.” Jay nods.

“We...are…” Louis says slowly.

“Soulmates.” Harry finishes.

“Have you bonded?” Jay and Anne ask at the same time.

“No.” Louis shakes his head.

“Do you plan on it?”

“We haven’t…” Louis begins to say as Harry says, “I’d love to.”.

Louis frowns and finishes his thought carelessly.

“Discussed it.”

“You should.” Jay says and Anne nods. “We want pups.”

“We’re in high school!” Louis admonishes.

He’s barely a _junior!_

“When you’re ready, we mean.” Anne soothes. “Hopefully soon, but whatever.”

“You guys should really have this conversation.” Jay scoffs.

Louis frowns at her and rolls his eyes.

He’ll have the damn conversation when he wants to have it. He’s perfectly capable of making his own decisions.

“We will,” Louis sighs, exasperated, “But until then, we remain sort of mates.”

“Sort of mates doesn’t mean shit to the rest of the world.” Jay snaps. “There are pigs out there, Louis, and they will take you without your permission and there will be no one to stop them.”

“I can protect myself.” Louis snaps back, mouth full of delicious pizza.

“I’m not saying that you can’t,” Jay looks empathetic. “I’m saying that mating might be in your best interest.”

“You’re the mum—aren’t you supposed to be talking me out of mating early?”

Louis wants to mate Harry. Of fucking course, he does. It’s just that he doesn’t like feeling like he has to rely on someone or something—even a mark on his fucking neck—to protect him. He can handle himself. He's independent as fuck. 

“Not when I, as a nurse, know the pain of having to break a one sided bond.”

“It hurts like a bitch,” Anne nods. “A woman even had have a heart attack during it because she mated a man she couldn’t stand.”

“We just want you both to be safe, okay? Birth control and mating marks and scenting are all important things that you should talk about before your relationship goes too far.”

“We will.” Louis gives in, nodding. “Right, H?”

“Of course.” Harry gives the room a chocolatey smile.

“So, how’s school?” Anne asks Louis. “Passing?”

“Yep.” He smiles, winking. “But only barely.”

He’s been doing better since Harry became his...whatever. He makes Louis study and do his work on time.

It’s a bit ridiculous, but at least Louis has an ‘A’ in Calc.

“And you, Harry?” Jay asks.

“Yes, ma’am.” He nods. “Four point oh GPA.”

“Excellent!” She cheers. “Proud to call you my son’s mate!”

They eat in relative silence for a while until Anne speaks up.

“Can I ask why you’re putting candy on your pizza?”

“Because it’s delicious.” Louis says when his mum sighs.

“It’s grotesque.” She frowns.

“Can I try it?” Anne asks tentatively.

“Of course!” Louis is positively beaming as he passes her the bag.

He turns to Harry and says, “One more person in the M&M pizza cult,” while squeezing his thigh.

Harry grins in return and shoves another bite of pizza in his mouth.

“This is,” Anne says after a moment, “glorious. I’ve never tasted anything quite like it.”

“Yes!” Louis shouts. “Mum, I am a _god!_ ”

“Not you, too, Anne.” Jay shakes her head, disapproving.

“It’s good!” Anne defends. “The chocolate compliments the oily taste of the pizza brilliantly!”

Louis nods at Harry, “Your mum is the best.”

“If she’s so great, then why don’t you have her as your new mum?” Jay snaps, but it’s a joke.

Louis smirks at her. 

“Let’s switch kids.” Anne grins. "Take Harry and Gemma; they're a handful anyway."

"It's a deal." Jay grins back. 

“Good luck, love.” Louis turns to Harry and nods solemnly, patting his knee. “Jay bans all M&Ms.”

“Bloody hell,” Harry murmurs.

“You’re lucky we aren’t at home.” Anne sends him a withering glare.

“Swear jar.” Harry sighs. “Sorry.”

“Swear jar?” Jay frowns.

“Yeah, it’s like...whenever we’re caught swearing, we have to drop money into this...jar.” Harry scratches his ear, eyes shut in unconscious self-consciousness. “It’s quite full, actually.”

“I’m gonna use it for a spa day.” Anne grins.

“We’re gonna get one of those.” Jay nods.

“It’s just you and me, mum, so it’ll have to be a really small jar.” Louis snickers.

“That’s alright,” she nods, solidifying it. “So be it.”

“Most of the money will be yours.” Louis snickers and then turns to Harry. “You done?”

“Yeah.” Harry smiles, plate empty except for crumbs.

“We’ll be upstairs, mums.” Louis smiles, taking Harry’s plate and placing it with his on the table.

He grabs Harry’s hand and tugs him up the stairs, grinning.

He locks the door behind them and presses his lips to Harry’s, smiling. Harry's a brilliant kisser.

“Lou,” Harry mumbles, stumbling over his own feet.

“It’s alright.” Louis soothes. “Just kiss me.”

Louis stands on his toes, hands on Harry’s shoulders as he walks them back toward the bed. Harry’s knees bump into it and he falls back, breathing his surprise into Louis’ mouth.

Louis crawls over him, legs bracing Harry’s, and kisses him harder. Harry's hands trace Louis' sides, curling their way under his shirt to press gently against every rib.

“Shouldn't we **—** "

“Shh.” Louis whispers.

“We need to discuss this.” Harry interrupts, voice strong and so unusually arousing.

Harry is, of course, always arousing, but his impatient voice is even more so than usual.

“Please.”

“Yes, sir.” Louis sits up, turned on.

Hot damn.

“So...mating.” Harry says simply.

“I want to.” Louis says. “Do you?”

“Of course I do.” Harry smiles. “The timing’s up to you, though.”

“Soon, but not too soon, you know?”

Harry pats Louis’ thigh and sighs, relieved.

“Pups?" Harry asks and Louis can feel his nervousness like it's his own.

“Definitely. After uni, though.”

Louis plans on becoming a teacher, or maybe an actor. Who knows. 

Harry nods softly.

“Fine with me.” Harry’s hand slides higher, brushing the tops of Louis’ knees.

“Want to make out some more?” Louis asks, staring at Harry’s lips.

Thank God Harry can’t see him. It’d be really embarrassing.

“Hell yeah.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I less than three you guys. Just thought you should know.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Footie in April causes a domino effect Louis had not planned for. There's also some Green Day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fucking finally. I've begun to write the chapters now, in between episodes of Glee and The Walking Dead, of course. 
> 
> School starts on the 2nd, so don't expect too much from me after that because I am an introvert and being in a public setting like that exhausts me.

It’s another month and a half before the topic is brought up again.

It’s April, now, and it’s just begun to get warm, so Louis begins sprinting with Zayn and Niall after school again. The football field is clear of snow, so they run side by side until they’re tired and sweaty, even in the cool April air.

“Fuck,” Louis pants. “A winter off and I can’t do shit anymore.”

“Same.” Niall replies, flopping down to the ground.

He’s always a bit dramatic, but so is Louis. He follows suit quickly after.

“We should get some practice in, though. Footie and all.” Zayn interjects from his feet.

They volunteer at a camp in the summer that teaches football to kids who are clueless. It’s good to get some practice in because the other counsellors are brilliant players and there’s always a staff match and Louis _loves_ kicking their asses.

Who said omegas weren't capable of being badass again?

“Bring it on, Zalien.” Louis grins, but he’s out of breath, so it’s quite pathetic.

“I’m in.” Niall says after a moment. “But only because I don’t want to go home yet.”

They play for a long while, until Zayn is so frustrated with Louis kicking his ass that he tackles him, nosing at his neck with a growl.

“Harry’s gonna kick your ass.” Louis grumbles as he pushes Zayn off.

Niall leans over and takes a sniff.

“You reek of him.” Niall nods. “More Zayn than Louis, probably.”

“Maybe he’ll get all jealous and finally fuck you.” Zayn supplies with a hearty laugh. “I can sense the sexual frustration rolling off of you like waves whenever he’s around.”

“Same goes for you and,” Louis can’t help himself, “Layne.”

Zayn punches him in the arm and Louis frowns at him indignantly while Niall cackles.

“Fucker.” Zayn murmurs. “You know it’s **—** ”

“Liam, yeah. I’m not daft.” Louis rolls his eyes.

He picks up his phone and curses when he checks the time. He’s only got ten minutes until he’s supposed to pick Harry up for their Friday date!

“Gotta go, bro.” Louis says as he quickly tugs his backpack over his shoulders.

“See you ‘round!” Niall calls as he jogs off the field.

Louis turns and gives him a thumbs up as he reaches his car. He tosses his bag unceremoniously into the backseat and then slides in, speeding home so he can squeeze in a three minute shower.

When he’s down, he towel dries his hair and pulls on clothes as fast as he can. When he’s sure he looks decent **—** his hair is still damp and flopping all over the place, but he doesn’t care **—** , he gets back into his car and speeds over to Harry’s house, not a second too soon.

He knocks on the door, brushing his hair out of his face again, and smiles at Gemma when she opens it.

“Hey, Lou.” She says politely. “Harry’s in the kitchen.”

She turns and sits back on the couch, laptop in front of her.

Louis shrugs and strolls into Harry’s kitchen, grinning. He doesn’t say anything, just watches Harry interact with his mother as they dance about the kitchen, Madonna playing low in the background.

“Madonna will never get old.” Anne announces as the song changes.

“Okay, Sue Sylvester.” Harry murmurs, grinning.

Louis grins, too, because he’s a lovesick fool and he loves Glee. Secretly, of course. It's an obsession of the darkest kind. 

“Green Day is the shit.” Harry shakes his ass when ‘Oh, Love’ comes on.

Louis _loves_ this song. He loves all of Green Day’s songs. Fuck, Harry’s perfect.

Harry belts out the chorus when it comes on, throwing himself around the kitchen in a ridiculously sexy manner. It shouldn't be sexy, but it is. 

It probably has something to do with Louis being his soulmate or whatever. 

Louis waits until the song finishes before he interrupts, announcing his presence with a grin.

“Hey, H.” He says softly.

“Lou!” Harry startles, arms falling to his sides. “Did you **—** ”

“I did.” Louis grins and it leaks into his voice and he’s so, so fond.

What has he become?

“It was brilliant.” Louis praises. “Ready to go?”

-

They go to Louis’ house for dinner. Instead of Tommy’s pizza, Louis makes him dinner.

It’s probably really shitty, but Louis doesn’t care. He tried his best and that’s all that really matters to him. If it’s inedible, they’ll call Tommy and have him rush over some broccoli and cheese pizza.

“What’re you making?” Harry strolls into the kitchen, hands outstretched as to ward off an objects in his way.

He’s still not quite used to the nooks and crannies of the house. It's fucking adorable and Louis has to reign in his urge to coo every time he sees him. 

“Chicken.” Louis answers noncommittally. “It’s stuffed with mozzarella cheese and wrapped in Parma ham with a side of potatoes. Ones I mashed by hand, to be exact.”

“Sounds fantastic.” Harry muses. “Can you come here? I’d like to kiss you.”

Louis takes the pan off the burner and walks toward Harry, reaching out to brush his fingers across Harry’s jaw. He leans up and presses his lips to Harry’s, fingers curling in his hair. Harry kisses him back, fingers ghosting across Louis’ waist to settle there after a moment, a careful gesture of faith.

Harry kisses down Louis’ neck, rubbing his nose into Louis’ neck and seizing up. He pulls back, face stern and posture stiff.

“Who were you hanging with before you came to get me?” Harry asks, backpedalling three steps.

“Niall,” Louis replies and then adds, “and Zayn,” as an afterthought. “We were playing footie. Why?”

“You smell like him.” Harry furrows his brow. “How could you let him scent you?”

Fuck, fuck, _fuck_. Louis thought the shower would get rid of that! Louis is _so_ fucked. 

“I didn’t.” Louis shakes his head. “He tackled me when I won and he did it as punishment.”

“You can't keep hanging around with him.” Harry shakes his head. “Not when you don’t technically belong with me and I don't belong with you. You’re free game to anyone who wants you, Louis, and I...I care about you too much to stand around while you have one foot out the door.”

“Zayn’s practically mated. Layne might as well be his soulmate.” Louis sighs, reaching out to brush his fingers across Harry’s shoulders.

Harry doesn’t step away, so Louis takes it as a good sign and holds his shoulders firmly.

“Doesn’t matter.” Harry shakes his head again, looking dejected. “I wish…”

“What?” Louis asks.

He knows where Harry’s going with the statement and he doesn’t like it one bit.

“I wish I could see so I wouldn’t be so freaked out by Zayn.” Harry turns his head away, biting nervously on his cheek. “So I could be better for you.”

“You’re perfect the way you are, H. I love you blind, okay? If you were sighted, you probably would be a totally different person. I'd probably love that person, too, but still.” Louis smiles.

“You love me?” Harry asks and that’s when Louis realizes he’s accidentally revealed himself.

_Oops!_

“Yes.” Louis replies surely. “It’s been true for a long time, I think.”

“I love you too!” Harry replies, puckering his lips so Louis will lean in.

They meet each other halfway and it’s one of the best kisses of Louis’ life.

He can’t wait to tell Harry that he’s ready to mate.

-

“Harry,” Louis says as they both team up in washing the dishes.

They’re nearly halfway through, so Louis feels it’s time to announce it.

“I want to mate.”

“You...what?!” Harry drops the spoons into the water, startled.

He begins to stutter out a bunch of letters and syllables that don’t add up to words or whole sentences.

“Harry.” Louis grabs his shoulders, fingers slick with soapy water. “I would like to mate with you tonight. Bonding, scenting, all that. My mum started me on birth control after we had the conversation about it, so no pups to worry about. Tonight. After we wash the dishes, okay? That is, if you want to.”

Louis turns back to the dishes and begins to dry and put away the dishes in the drainer. Harry stands there, mouth open, until he gathers his bearings or whatever.

“I want to.” He manages to choke out and he begins to wash again.

Louis is one happy omega.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed it. x


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis is a spoiled (spoilt?) rotten brat and Harry lives to please him. Also, there's a lot of slick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For someone who is terrible at writing smut, I write a shit load of it. I'm sorry that it's atrocious.

Louis is glad the dishes distract them for a few moments because he’s begun to secrete slick and he’s sure Harry would’ve noticed it sooner if not for the distraction.

They’ve washed all the dishes before Harry’s nostrils flare and Louis can’t pretend to not be leaking slick anymore.

“Harry,” he says softly, seductive, “mate me.”

Louis steps in front of him and kisses him hard, fingers locking around his neck. Harry’s hands slide up his legs to settle under the edge of his shirt, unsure and warm against Louis' hot skin.

Louis grins through the kiss, opening his mouth, and reaches down to pull his shirt off. Once he’s free of it, he puts Harry’s hands back at his waist and kisses him harder.

“Are you sure?” Harry asks as Louis begins to lead them up the stairs and to his room.

“Of course.” Louis nods and then presses Harry against his bedroom door when he shuts it.

He presses his fingers under the waistband of Harry’s jeans, lips held in a harsh kiss. He shifts his hands up, fingers tangling in the edge of Harry’s shirt just enough that he can pull it off, tossing it somewhere in the room.

“Bed,” Louis whispers as he tugs them toward it.

He falls backward onto it, dragging Harry with him and over him.

“You’re so beautiful,” Louis whispers because it’s true.

It’s never been more true.

Louis unbuttons Harry’s jeans, tugging them as far down his legs as he can from his position under Harry. Harry helps him by kicking them off the rest of the way, grinning as he fumbles down Louis’ body to do the same with his.

“Knot me,” Louis whispers when Harry’s lips find his neck. “Knot me and then mark me. _Please_.”

“Of course,” Harry murmurs, “I will.”

Louis’ bum is so soaked with slick that his underwear are stuck to him. Harry tries unsuccessfully to pull at them from under and then grins into Louis’ neck when he hears them slide off damply.

“Are you a virgin?” He asks softly, sliding down Louis’ legs by touch to pull his boxers off.

“Yeah.” Louis nods as Harry’s fingers map the skin of his thighs.

He presses his lips against Louis’ knee and Louis feels golden. He feels like they’re covered in a ray of yellow light, like they’re tied together, an anchor and a boat.

This is what he’s waited his whole life for. Harry’s what he deserves and he’s what Harry deserves. They’re perfect for each other.

Louis smiles at that, mouth opening nearly instantly when Harry’s mouth reaches his cock.

Harry may be blind, but he’s become as familiar with Louis’ body as Louis is.

“Harry,” Louis moans, tangling his fingers in Harry’s hair.

Harry licks the head of Louis’ cock and Louis can’t actually believe this is happening. Harry grins up at Louis, eyes slammed shut, and then takes all of Louis’ dick into his mouth.

“Please,” he moans, tugging on Harry’s hair. “Knot me _please_.”

Harry nods and then slides off Louis’ dick. Louis grabs for Harry’s underwear, desperately trying to pull them down his legs.

He’s so beyond ready for this.

Harry concedes and kicks them off, free hand tracing its way to Louis’ bum. Louis lifts his legs without being told to because he’s horny as shit and Harry smiles goofily, squeezing his buttcheeks firmly.

“You’ve such a nice bum.” Harry muses, voice sinfully heavy, as he collects slick on his fingers.

Once he’s gathered what he deems is enough, he manages to slide his finger inside of Louis.

Louis moans at the feeling, but his body’s made for this. He doesn’t need preparation; he needs Harry’s knot. And soon.

“Please.” Louis whimpers as Harry adds a second one, scissoring to stretch Louis out when he doesn’t even fucking need it.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Harry whispers as he adds a third and Louis feels like crying in frustration.

He is a spoiled rotten brat and he just wants his alpha to _listen_ to him.

“You won’t.” Louis manages to say with a scowl that Harry can’t see. “I’m good. Please.”

Harry sighs and then pulls his fingers out.

“Are you ready?” Harry asks softly, leaning down to kiss Louis agonizingly softly.

Louis kisses back, but with fervour because he wants Harry’s fucking cock and he’s getting a _wee_ bit impatient.

“Fuck yeah.” Louis says and he leans up, fingers wrapping around Harry’s upper arms.

Harry grins, a killer edge, and leans back over Louis, biting a soft mark on the skin underneath his jaw. He soothes it with his tongue and then reaches down and begins to push into Louis.

Louis breathes in harshly, feeling very very full and very very happy.

Harry lifts Louis’ legs, curling them around his waist so he can reach up and touch Louis’ face with just his fingertips.

“You’re so beautiful,” he mumbles, halfway inside of Louis. “How did I get so lucky?”

Louis manages a smirk as Harry slides in completely.

Holy fucking shit, Harry’s cock is huge, Louis realizes once his bum is pressed right against Harry's hips.

“Move,” Louis pants after a short moment and then Harry’s hands are holding him up and he’s pulling out and gliding right back in, slickened by the secretion of Louis’ slick.

Louis has never been more glad for his natural bodily functions.

“Fuck,” Harry mumbles under his breath, slamming into Louis so hard it’s mesmerizing, "baby."

Louis gasps, fingernails scratching deep marks into Harry’s back as Harry hits his prostate dead on.

“ _Harry_ ,” Louis moans and he wants to tell him how much he loves him and how much he means to him, but the words don’t make it past his trembling lips.

“I love you so much,” Harry says and Louis is glad he’s his soulmate.

He knows exactly what’s going through Louis’ head even when Louis doesn’t.

Harry pounds into Louis and Louis has never ever felt such immense pleasure. His fingers and dildos have never even come close to this.

He moans loudly, not caring who hears, and Harry joins him when Louis’ squeezes around his cock.

Harry lifts his hand and begins to stroke Louis in time with his thrusts.

Louis is going to fucking come.

He tries to verbalize that.

“I’m gonna—” He begins to say and Harry nods, accepting it as fact.

“Me, too. Just hold on.” Harry thrusts hard again.

Louis tosses his head back, groaning so loud he’s sure it vibrates the room. Harry lifts Louis’ upper body as Louis comes, helpless to stop himself.

Louis closes his eyes in ecstasy and then he feels Harry’s teeth pierce the skin of his neck as he moans, coming so hard he collapses right on top of Louis. His knot pops and Louis gasps, eyes snapping open wide. 

Louis’ eyes lose focus for a moment and then he’s filled with the most pleasure he’s ever felt in his entire life. He gasps and writhes underneath Harry, pupils dilated as he moans, knot pressed inside of him. He feels connected now, like he has a better sense of what Harry's feeling. 

Soulmates. They're mated soulmates and no one can take that away from them. Not now, not ever.

His body is trapped under Harry's, but Louis doesn't want to ever be anywhere else. He sighs in exhaustion and love and fondness. 

"I love you." Louis manages to get out. 

His voice is soft, well fucked. 

“You’re mine.” Harry whispers back, rubbing his nose into Louis' neck to scent him, still attached.

It covers the faint reek of Zayn extremely well and Harry'll be permanent.

“And I’m yours.” Harry finishes once he's finished.

Harry speaks only the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo, you should check me out on [twitter](https://twitter.com/directjess). i'll try not to be too irritating


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Louis are 50% blind and 100% genius. Zayn and Liam are 33% lonely and 100% pure alpha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I start school on Wednesday. Fuck my life.
> 
> The ziam thing will remain only ziam. Don't freak out. Okay?

On Sunday, Zayn teases Louis relentlessly when he comes over and smells the room. Louis scowls at him and scoffs when he sees the purple bruise on his neck.

“You let him mark you?” Louis asks. “Isn’t that against, like, your alpha pride or something?”

“Well, yeah.” Zayn shrugs. “But I did it to him, as well, so I figure it equals out.”

Louis grins and then giggles. Zayn has some strange logic.

“I’m happy for you,” Louis smiles softly. “Did you, like, have sex, though? If so, how did it work? Did you top? Did he? Was their a third party involved?”

Louis is often too curious for his own good. 

“Fuck off.” Zayn snaps, but it’s weak. “We just...bit each other.”

“There was no dick touching at all!?” Louis frowns at him.

He thought he taught Zayn better than that. Shame on him.

“I never said _that_.” Zayn says with a shameless smirk. “There wasn’t, however, any penetration.”

“Alpha buttholes aren’t made for alpha knots, I suppose.” Louis sighs. “Y’all might need someone else if you ever want to knot inside something”

“We’ve been discussing it.” Zayn shrugs. “It’s not the polyamory we mind so much. It’s more the sharing of each other.”

“Well, that’s sort of sweet.” Louis says dryly. “But eventually your ruts are going to approach and then you’re both fucked because we all know how mating cycles link up after marking.”

“Fuck.” Zayn sighs. “We’ll figure it out somehow. My rut’s not supposed to be here for another month, so we have a bit of time.”

“I’ll be the first to know, correct?”

Louis will beat the shit out of Zayn if he isn’t.

“Of course.” Zayn rolls his eyes. “It’s like you’re mated to us or something.”

“Oh, if only I was single.” Louis sighs dramatically. “I’d let Liam fuck me against the wall anytime.”

Liam, as odd as he is, is fucking gorgeous. He’s also strangely nice and familiar, even though Louis has met him only a few times.

Zayn growls, warning, and Louis barks out a laugh.

“Calm down, puppy.” Louis teases, jumping off his bed to grab the xbox remotes.

He tosses one to Zayn and turns on the console.

“I’m sure we’ll find you guys an acceptable omega.”

-

They don’t.

It’s fucking crazy. Liam and Zayn’s expectations are too high and Louis doesn’t know enough omegas to be able to pick and choose.

“They must be a he.” Liam demands when they all sit down the next day. “I am too extremely gay for a girl.” Zayn agrees with him, of course, and adds his own stipulation.

“Tiny.” Zayn says. “If we have to have someone else, I want to be able to hold their tiny body in my arms.”

Those two things together were hard enough. Male omegas are a bit on the rare side, and they’re usually mated early.

“European.” They both say at the same time, smiling fondly at each other when they realize.

“You guys are disgusting.” Louis frowns. “Would you be opposed to a tall American?”

“Well, no, not exactly.” Zayn says. “If he’s nice and accepting, then who cares?”

“I feel the same way. We’re just being...picky because we’ve been dealt a shit hand.” Liam adds with a sigh. “Fuck Alpha biology.”

“Everything would be easier if genders didn’t exist, you know?” Zayn sighs.

Louis knows.

He’s been disrespected because of his own gender too many times to count. Been catcalled out of car windows, had his ass slapped more than anyone should ever have to deal with, lost opportunities because he 'might get hurt' or injured. 

Biology is bullshit.

Louis goes home that night and scrolls through all of his Facebook friends.

There’s Adam, but he’s into girls.

And Kyle, but Louis remembers he moved to the USA.

And Ryan and Tyler and Blaine and Parker, but they’re all mated with scary alphas. Especially Parker's. She's a really violent individual.

Louis doesn’t know _what_ he’s going to do.

He goes to school the next day and lays low, wanting to avoid confrontation with Ziam. He sits with the Bieber girls at lunch because Harry’s at a doctor’s appointment and doesn’t stop at his locker except during classes when he knows Liam won't let Zayn leave.

On his way out of school, he bumps into Niall and it’s _then_ that it hits him.

Niall is perfect. Niall is Louis’ sort of friend and he’s going to be Zayn’s & Liam’s sort of soulmate.

Fuck yeah, Louis is a genius.

“Hey, Ni.” Louis says with a smile too bright for his face.

“Louis!” Niall grins back. “Long time no see.”

“Too long, actually. Want to get some pizza later?” Louis is evil.

He is also a fucking mastermind.

“Yeah, as long as you’re payin’.” Niall laughs. “Where at?”

“Tommy’s. Like 6ish? I’ve got some people I want you to meet.”

“See you there, dude.” Niall nods and then heads off toward his car.

Liam and Zayn won’t know what’s hit them.

-

Louis thinks about bailing on their date, but decides against it. They’ll have an awkward double date—is it still called that when the date’s with three people as one couple?—and Louis’ll take his own alpha and it'll be perfect.

He swings by Harry’s house and quarter to six and tells him all about it.

While Harry’s never formally met Niall, they share a few classes and Harry thinks that Zayn and Liam and Niall will be a good fit.

“I’m so excited!” Louis cheers as he drives them to Tommy’s.

He’s not going to get pizza; that’s especially for Friday’s. Instead, he’ll get some vegetarian chicken bites and call it a successful night of matchmaking.

When they enter the pizzeria, Tommy grins at Louis.

“I have a date with Gerard.” He says when Louis approaches, arm corded around Harry.

“Really?” Louis grins. “Did you finally grow up and ask him out?”

“No,” Tommy shakes his head, “he asked me.”

“I’m so happy for you!” Louis says truthfully. “Get on that dick, dude.”

“Take a fucking seat.” He sighs, scoldingly.

Louis laughs and then he and Harry walk to their booth. Natalie smiles at them from another table and Louis nods back, content.

“I’m so excited!” Harry admits sheepishly. “I can’t even see them, but I know they’re going to love one another.”

“This is gonna be so much fun,” Louis admits. “I am a matchmaking genius. I should do this more often.

“We could match Gemma up with someone!” Harry grins and Louis can’t help but grin back.

“We could be a matchmaking duo.” Louis muses and Harry nods back, fumbling with Louis’ hand to hold it.

Louis sighs contentedly, comforted by the closeness of his alpha. He knows Harry would protect him to the end.

“We’d be fan-fucking-tastic at that.” Harry says as Natalie comes over to take their order.

“The usual?” She asks and Louis shakes his head.

“Nope. One large plain pizza and an order of vegetarian chicken bites.” Louis says and she looks surprised. “And for you, H?”

“The same.” He assures. “And a tea, please.”

“Make that five teas. We’ve got some people coming.” Louis interrupts.

“Alright,” she says as she scribbles the order onto her notepad, smiling faintly.

Louis takes note of the healed bite mark on her neck. He'll have to ask her how she, a beta, manages her omega.

“It’ll be out soon.”

“Thank you.” Louis says softly and she smiles before she walks away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed x


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zayn was never destined for an omega, Jay is overworked, and Niall likes free pizza.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shit. School is killing me slowly. Death will be a relief.

Zayn and Liam never show up.

Louis isn’t that surprised, actually. He can understand the fact that they don’t want to share each other with anyone else.

He feels that way about Harry. He wouldn't be able to stand it if he had to share Harry with another alpha, or—god forbid—another omega. He'd rather fucking die, actually.

It’s a good thing neither Louis nor Harry mention that this was supposed to be a blind date to Niall because they all have a great time. As friends.

Niall eats a good majority of the pizza—Harry and Louis aren’t touching it. It’s not Friday—and Louis and Harry enjoy their non-chicken bites.

It’s nearing eight o’clock when Harry yawns and Louis realizes he should probably get him home. Especially considering that his curfew is nine on school nights because he's a great student, a tad nerdy, and more than a bit blind.

“We’ve gotta do this again.” Louis says with a smile.

Niall laughs at all of his jokes and it makes him feel high with satisfaction. He hopes he gives Niall that same feeling.

“So long as you pay, I’m up for it whenever.” Niall nods affirmatively. “Can I keep this?” He points at the pizza remaining on the tray.

-

When Louis drops Harry off—he walks him to the door, of course, and gives him a long kiss before he goes—, he immediately calls Zayn.

“Please don’t be mad,” is the first thing Zayn says into the phone, sort of weakly.

“I’m not.” Louis answers. “I’m actually happy. I’m glad you’ve finally learned to make your own decisions and whatnot.”

“So…” Zayn says after a beat, gentle. “You aren’t going to punch me in the throat when I see you next?”

“Well, I make no promises.” Louis replies with a shrug that Zayn can’t see. “But it won’t be for blowing us off.”

“We thought you’d be pissed.” Zayn muses. “Liam was actually very terrified of the thought of it.”

Louis is so glad he’s not the typical omega. He’s so glad he’s got friends who are alphas and are fucking terrified of him. He’s so glad he’s such a motherfucking badass.

“He’s got nothing to worry about, Zalien.” Louis says, shaking his head. “Have you come up with a rut solution yet?”

“I was hoping you could ask Jay for us.” Zayn says with a sympathetic inhale. “Considering she’s a nurse and all.”

“Why _me_?” Louis asks with a cringe.

He doesn’t want to have his bloody mother explain what two alphas linked together with knots is like. The morning after heat talk is awkward _enough!_

“Because she’s your mum.” Zayn supplies. “And she’ll know the questions are not for your because...you’re, well, an omega.”

“Thanks for the memo.” Louis rolls his eyes. “I’ll ask, but she won’t be home until tomorrow. Night shift at the hospital.”

“Thank you so much!” Zayn croons loudly. “I love you, bro.”

“Whatever, you big sap.” Louis says fondly. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Of course,” Zayn sighs happily. “Bye.”

Louis hangs up, smiling fondly as he parks his car in front of his house. He heads inside, tossing his backpack onto the counter and running up the stairs and into his room.

He grabs his laptop and, begrudgingly, searches for Alpha on Alpha stuff on Google. For research purposes.

-

Louis is repulsed. He is disgusted by the state of the internet.

His first few searches go alright. They aren’t explicit or pornographic, just FAQs for public clinics and things of that nature.

His last few searches are darker, but they're not necessarily on purpose.

He ends up with the link to a video, kudos to a Yahoo Answers log, and is redirected to a fucking porn website.

He stares at it, wide-eyed, and watches it with his lip curled up in disgust.

He’s seen porn before, of course, because he’s a horny teenager, but it’s usually alpha on omega smut, or even the occasional omega on omega— Louis used to be wild as shit. Tenth grade was a dark time for him.

But this is completely new shit.

“Holy fuck.” He says aloud when the alphas circle one another.

They're both quite large, typical alphas, and are dressed up in the usual porn skit costumes. Louis watches as the light-skinned man kisses the other, passionless. and he’s so turned off by it that he’s sure he’s going to vomit.

It just looks so _strange_. Louis isn’t judging Zayn and Liam at all, but he definitely doesn’t want to watch alpha on alpha smut again unless it’s physically them, but that's neither here nor there.

He sends Zayn a text, asking him if he was always into alphas, and then tosses his computer away in repulsion.

Zayn responds a minute later with a biting remark and Louis rolls his eyes, sending Harry a goodnight text before he heads to the shower and then, to bed.

-

Louis skips school on Tuesday and, when his mother gets home, he gets bitched at for thirty minutes, but it’s worth it. 

“It’s because I had to ask you some things.” He admits, trying his best to look dejected, like Liam whenever Louis makes fun of him too much.

“Like what?” She asks, kicking off her hospital shoes and falling back onto the couch, looking exhausted.

These overnight shifts must be taking their toll on her. Louis feels bad and thinks about getting a part-time job. Maybe Kmart?

“Liam and Zayn are...well, they’ve mated and they’re both alphas and they don’t want an omega and they’re also just a bit clueless on what they can do to solve their rut problems because neither of them are getting any.” Louis admits in a flurry of words, nervous and awkward because she is his mother.

She stares at him, eyebrows raised, and then laughs.

“I knew Zayn was going to be into alphas,” she muses offhandedly. “He never took a second glance at you, even as kids, and you’re an _omega_.”

“Yeah, so, is there any advice you could give them as a healthcare worker?” Louis raises his eyebrows questioningly.

“Well, the office has a few pamphlets on it along with certain recommendations.” She informs him. “There’s always the omega route, but it appears they don’t want one, so they can, like, find a surrogate? Someone who’ll help them through their ruts every six months with no strings, or they could try the suppressants that’ll get rid of their six month ruts and instead give them yearly ones.”

“Hmm.” Louis muses. “Anything else?”

“Well, they could always just go through it.” She shrugs. “It’ll take a few months—or sometimes years—for their cycles to link up, so they could help each other out willingly. They might be able to remain somewhat coherent if they try hard enough and then they won’t hurt each other.”

“Or,” Louis says with a frown, “they could just stay away from one another during rut.”

“Well, yeah, or that.” She rolls her eyes. “We’re having spaghetti for dinner, okay? I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up so I can cook it.”

“Alrighty then. See you later.” Louis replies with a smile. 

He'll wake her up after he cooks it. She looks fucking exhausted. 

“Oh! The girls' dad wants us to come visit soon,” she stands up, looking at him. “Maybe you could bring Harry? The girls'd love to meet your mate.”

Louis raises his eyebrows, surprised, but then nods. 

He just knows they'll love Harry. He's not even worried. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this wasn't too terrible.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is good, dinner is for five-year olds, and Doncaster's only a short while away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why am I awake at 2am on a school night
> 
> oh i know why; an update. enjoy my 2am ramblings

It’s May when Louis gets around to reading the side effects on his suppressant pills. They won’t stop his heats—the only way to do that is to have one’s reproductive organs taken out surgically—but the will keep him from getting knocked up. At least to a certain degree.

He’s sitting on the toilet, phone somewhere in his room, and grabs the pills off the counter to see how fucked he’s going to be.

Most of the side effects are mild, like slight dizziness or overproduction of slick—Louis already experiences both. Harry’s effortlessly sexy and Louis is exceptionally horny—but some are more awing. Infertility, cancer of the testes—Louis literally fucking gasps—, or even death, in some cases.

Louis just isn’t sure not having Harry’s cute little pups is worth dying over.

Louis places the bottle onto the counter and sighs.

He’s fucked either way.

-

It’s the end of May when Louis asks Harry to come to Doncaster with him and his mum. The air’s warm enough, so Louis is wearing jean shorts and a t-shirt of Harry’s he’d left over after a night of love and stuff.

“Harry,” Louis says as they lay in Harry’s bed, shitty Indie music playing quietly in the background, “would you mind accompanying me to Doncaster to see my sisters and stepfather?”

“Seriously?” Harry lifts his head off of Louis’ chest, eyes unfocused but so beautifully green.

Louis will never get over how fucking beautiful Harry is. Never.

“Of course.” Louis smiles. “My sisters’ll love you.”

“Are you sure?” Harry asks, looking worried. “I wouldn’t want to disappoint.”

“You could never!” Louis says indignantly. “You are as far from disappointing as someone can get!”

“Oh, hush.” Harry smiles, self-deprecating, and sighs. “I’d love to come with you.”

“I’m so excited!” Louis exclaims, grinning so hard it hurts.

He’s so glad the Harry said yes. He’s so glad he’s Harry’s mate. He’s so glad that this is his life.

“We’re leaving on Friday after school, which means no pizza, but we’re gonna have my stepdad’s famous burgers instead so it equals out.”

Louis’ stepdad, Mark, is a chef in a five star restaurant. He’s the best cook Louis fucking knows.

“Burgers.” Harry muses. “Much American.”

“What can I say?” Louis sighs, smiling softly as he runs his fingertips across Harry’s jaw. “I’m an American at heart. I love food.”

“You eat like a bird.” Harry murmurs and leans into Louis’ touch, kissing the palm of his hand with a grin.

“I do not eat like a bird.” Louis laughs. “Have you even  _seen_  my ass?”

“No,” Harry answers, smirking, “I’ve not.”

Louis rolls his eyes, fond, and pushes at Harry’s shoulder gently. Harry's attempts at jokes are always failures. Louis is still left too fond for his own good, though.

“Seriously, though. His burgers are life.” Louis can’t wait to get his hands on one. “You’re not gonna want to leave.”

Harry just lays back down on Louis’ chest and then says, “I go where you go,” after a while.

Louis doesn’t respond, just bites his lip to hide his smile as he slots his fingers through Harry’s and dozes off.

-

Louis and Harry go down for dinner at six when they hear Anne screaming their names.

Louis hooks his fingers through Harry’s as they walk down the stairs side-by-side. Louis can smell something delicious and he nudges Harry when he hears Green Day’s ‘Oh Love’ playing in the kitchen.

Harry’s cheeks flame up and he turns away to hide it. Louis laughs and leans up to kiss Harry’s jaw.

“Your dance was so sexy,” he says into his ear, up on his tiptoes. “You looked so beautiful, too.”

“Oh, hush.” Harry says, embarrassed. “You always look beautiful.”

Louis preens at that, tucking himself under Harry’s arm.

“Thanks, alpha.” Louis says because he knows Harry loves it.

Harry makes a contented noise and it rumbles inside of his chest like a pur. Louis loves the sound, would record it and fall asleep to it if he could.

“What’re we having?” Harry asks as they enter the kitchen.

The table’s set for four and Gemma sits at one seat, looking impatient as she stares down at the fish sticks on her plate.

Anne doesn’t let anyone eat until everyone is seated. It’s a ritual of hers.

Louis appreciates it, actually.

“Fish sticks and mac and cheese.” Anne announces as she sits down. “We are in desperate need of a shopping trip.”

“If you’d just take me,” Harry sighs, “we’d get it over with.”

“You can’t even see the labels!” Anne objects. “How will we get it over with if you keep putting ten jars of mayonnaise in the cart when I ask for spaghetti sauce?”

Harry just frowns at her as he takes his seat, eyes slammed shut. He only opens his eyes around Louis. Louis loves that Harry thinks he's that special.

He sits next to Harry and places his hand on his knee soothingly.

“Let’s fucking eat already.” Gemma murmurs as she shoves a fish stick into her mouth.

“Swear jar.” Anne scolds and Gemma sighs, staring up at the ceiling.

“Why,” is all she says upwards before getting up and slamming a pound into the large glass jar full of money.

Louis grins at her and she rolls her eyes as they begin eating.

“So,” Anne says after a moment, “I couldn’t help but notice that there’s a new mark on your neck.”

“Oh,” Louis looks down.

Harry’s shirt reveals his mark, unlike the majority of his clothes. The neck is worn-out and loose, revealing not only his mark, but also his collarbones. He looks damn good in it, too. 

“Yeah. We did it a while ago.” Louis says with a nod.

“I’m glad.” She smiles and then everyone begins to eat again.

Louis is shoving a forkful of macaroni in his mouth when Harry blurts out a sentence so fast that Louis almost doesn’t catch it.

“Is it okay if I go to Doncaster with Lou and his mum to meet his sisters? Please?”

Anne looks pensive for a moment before she sighs, a soft frown gracing her lips.

Louis hopes to god that she doesn’t say no.

“Is it going to be safe?” She asks instead of a complete denial.

“Yes,” Louis assures quickly, “and very much so. My sisters are quite young, so the house is childproofed and Harry’ll be fine.”

“Will he be needing any money?” She asks and then sips from her wine glass.

“No,” Louis shakes his head. “We’ll be staying with my stepdad.”

“Well,” she says and then smiles. “I don’t see why not. When are you leaving and how long will you be gone for?”

“Friday after school. We’ll be back before school on Monday.”

“I hope to see you back promptly on Sunday night.” Anne says and Louis nods furiously.

"Of course." He assures.

She smiles and then turns back to her food, musing about how she never thought she’d eat like she had five-year olds again.

Louis is so ecstatic. He loves Harry and he loves his family and he loves Harry’s family and he loves everything and everyone.

He’s so glad he waited for his soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good night


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are a lot of kids, some hair braiding, and the mention of babies. It's a good trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why didn't someone tell me it had been two weeks since my last update?? 
> 
> I'm terrible with schedules. Plus, last week was my birthday, so I was distracted. 
> 
> Sorry for the wait. Hope it's worth it!
> 
> (There's some v vanilla smut in this. Oopsies)

After school on Friday, they pack the car with their suitcases and then head off, taking the two hour drive with stride.

Louis sits in the back with Harry, leaving the passenger’s seat vacant. Jay whines a bit about being lonely, but there’s a grin on her face and amusement in her eyes, so Louis knows that she’s only kidding.

The radio plays quietly in the background as Jay drives sloppily, GPS speaking every few minutes because she is _horrible_ with directions.

Louis keeps his hand pressed into Harry’s, legs touching all the way down as they hum to the songs, giggling whenever one of them fucks them up.

It’s a good time. Louis wishes it would never end.

But it does. It ends with the GPS announcing that their destination is on the left in its mechanical, squeaky voice.

Louis gives Harry a grin that he can’t see and then squeezes his fingers.

“We’re here!” Jay crows, grinning so wide that it probably aches. “I’m gonna see my babies!”

Louis is so excited because _his sisters!_ His little, baby sisters are going to meet his little baby alpha and they’re going to love him. Even if he’s a bit blind.

Louis climbs out of the car after Harry, stretching his arms above his head to relieve the tension.

“Ready, H?” Louis smiles.

Harry just nods, sending Louis a smile that Louis can tell is nervous.

Perks of being bonded soulmates, Louis supposes, is that emotions are more easily read. It's a godsend sometimes. 

Louis smiles fondly and leans up to press his lips to Harry’s softly.

“Come on, you big idiot,” Louis smiles and grabs his hand again. “Let’s go meet the fam.”

They grab their bags—Harry carries Louis’ because he’s a gentleman like that—and they knock on the door politely because, once again, gentlemanly actions are Harry's specialty.

“Louis!” Shouts Fizzy as she pulls open the door.

And the thing is she’s so _old_. She’s beautiful and tall and fucking eleven years old, but she's practically grown.

Louis needs to visit more. He can't take this every once in a while thing. 

“Fizz!” Louis coos and reaches out to hug her tightly.

She grins and hugs him back, familiar in every way. Louis can’t express how much he missed her.

“Mum!” The other girls cry as they rush to see what the fuss is about. “Lou!”

They all wrap themselves around each other, happy, and Louis can do nothing but return the hug with a grin so bright that it burns. He looks up over the cloud of girls and smiles at Harry, fond.

“Who’re you?” Daisy asks, eyes narrowed as she pulls away. 

She looks terrifying. Or as terrifying as a seven year old can look. 

“I’m Harry,” he responds and his head’s turned down to the general vicinity of her face.

Louis has to bite his lip and stuff his hands into his pockets to resist cooing and squeezing Harry tight.

“Why are you here?” Phoebe asks at her side, looking up at Harry kindly.

She's softer, quieter, kinder. They even each other out. 

“I’m Louis’ mate,” Harry smiles. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

“Why do you have those sunglasses on?” Daisy questions with a frown. “It’s dark out already.”

Harry doesn’t lose his smile as he says, “I’m just the slightest bit blind.”

“No one really minds it,” Louis adds and he lets Harry tuck him under his arm.

He likes it there, in the space between his arm and his side. It’s warm and Harry’s smell permeates the air there, soaking Louis in the protection of his alpha.

“Oh,” Daisy says carelessly. “Dinner’s ready, if you’re hungry. Daddy made us wait for you guys to arrive.”

Louis presses a kiss to Harry’s lips.

“I told you that they wouldn’t care,” he whispers.

Harry just smiles.

-

Louis’ sisters—more specifically Daisy and Phoebe— take a liking to Harry. They read him books and even get him to sit still long enough so they can braid his hair.

Louis is so glad that he's sharing a room with Harry because the braid's are fucking sexy as hell. 

After they eat dinner together and the girls are sent off for their showers, Louis takes Harry to his old room.

It’s decorated for a fifteen-year old Louis, footballs and trophies and hidden gay porn magazines under the mattress. What can he say. He was a horny kid who played a lot of sports.

He takes one look at Harry’s hair corded in braids, magenta glasses sitting low on his nose, and leans up to kiss him, hand winding around to hold him in place.

Harry makes a surprised noise, startled, but kisses Louis back just as fervently. His hand wind around Louis’ waist, grounding him, and Louis nips softly against Harry’s bottom lip.

“You look so fucking hot with your hair braided,” Louis whispers harshly, pushing Harry back onto the bed so their heights are somewhat even.

“You look hot all the time,” Harry whispers softly and Louis can feel his dick, hard, against his thighs when he straddles him.

“I’m going to ride you until I can’t fucking walk anymore.” Louis’ words are quiet, sharp.

His asshole throbs, already damp with slick. He’s so ready to be laid into.

“Please feel free,” Harry bites into the mark on Louis’ neck teasingly, hands sliding down his hips to settle underneath the waistband of his pants.

“Take it all off,” Louis whispers, shivering from the bite, and assisting Harry.

When they’re both naked as fuck, Louis kisses Harry harshly, lovingly, soothingly. His mouth blends with Harry’s, an artist’s palette of colours as he paints a picture of two boys in love, all pink and soft blues and burning reds. Louis is red, burning and hot and shouting, and Harry is blue, cooling and calm and whispering. When Harry touches Louis, icy fingers grazing the soft skin of his chest, his cheeks, his shoulders, he morphs into a different, softer colour. He melts, turns into a soft, pale lilac sky.

Louis just hopes Harry doesn’t decide that purple just isn’t for him.

Louis grinds down against Harry’s cock, panting already and he hasn’t even had a finger in himself yet.

“God, I love you,” Harry whispers, but his voice is louder.

He’s taken as much of Louis’ blue as Louis has taken of Harry’s red, if that makes any sense, and Louis loves it when Harry’s hands grip tighter, stronger as they cord around his thighs.

“Fuck me,” Louis pants. “Knot me. Knock me up with your pups.”

Louis is so cloudy headed that he doesn’t know what he’s saying. And, even if he did, he would probably still say it. He's been thinking about it more than he probably should, but only late at night when he's alone in his bed and awake because his soulmate is across the city, bathed in darkness, passed out in bed instead of with him.

“Gonna fill you up with my pups,” Harry growls and then Louis is on his back, staring up at his beautiful alpha, feeling protected and safe and horny as fuck.

Harry kisses the crook of Louis’ neck, all around the mating mark, and then one of his hands traces its way down his side, between the crook of his thighs, past his cock and to his dripping hole. He circles his finger around his rim, collecting enough slick to lubricate his entrance.

“Fuck,” Louis whispers harshly, bucking up when Harry’s finger enters slowly, his lips still pressed to the mark as his stretches Louis out.

Louis, being the omega he is, doesn’t really need the prep. His body is made to be fucked hard, to be came in, to be knotted.

“I’m good,” Louis whispers when Harry has three fingers curled deep inside of him and the pleasure is undeniable, but not what he wants. “Lay back.”

Louis presses his hands to Harry’s chest, pushing him backwards so Louis can straddle him.

“God, you’re so fucking beautiful,” Louis whispers and then he kneels, lining up the head of Harry’s cock to his asshole to sink down on it.

His breath hitches in his throat as his body gets accustomed to the thick spans of Harry’s cock. 

Harry’s hands trace up to Louis’ face, fingers delicately pressing against the sharp planes of his cheekbones. It's a ghost of a touch, but it's one of the best things Louis has ever felt. 

“You’re so gorgeous,” he whispers and the glasses are gone, so his blank green eyes stare off vacantly and it’s one of the hottest fucking things Louis has ever witnessed.

He lifts himself up and falls back down, panting when he brushes his prostate with Harry's cock.

Harry’s cock is so nice, is the thing. It’s the best feeling in the world. The pleasure is immense, the sex is mindblowing.

Louis is so glad to be Harry’s soulmate.

Harry’s hand falls from Louis’ waist to grip his cock firmly, stroking him in time with his rising and falling, with both of their moans in the quiet of the room.

Louis feels electric with it, alive with burning passion.

“I love you,” he finds himself murmuring, thighs aching with the effort, over and over again.

“Can I take over?” Harry pants out and his voice is so rough, so scratch that Louis nearly comes right then.

He manages to reign himself in, wanting to come on Harry’s thick knot, and nods.

“Please,” he says and then his back is against the mattress and Harry’s above him, wrapping his legs around his waist.

He slides back in smoothly, mouth open as he slams back in, coordinated with the stroked he gives Louis’ cock. He pounds into him, hitting Louis’ prostate so spot on that he sees beautiful stars.

“I’m gonna—” he squeaks out, breath gone as it mingles with Harry’s in the small space between their mouths.

“Hold on, baby,” Harry whispers, leaning forward to kiss him once more. “I will, too.”

Harry’s thrusts in once more before his knot pops, catching on Louis’ rim as he comes, moaning so loud that Louis is sure his family knows they're fucking. Harry’s teeth sink into the mark again, sending new flares of heaven through his body as he comes between them, panting so hard that his vision spots black, orgasm ripped from him deliciously by Harry's amazing knot.

God, he fucking loves Harry.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading (and/or waiting!) -j


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a drive home, a storm out, and a good cry. Zayn makes the world start spinning again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's wrong with me??? Why can't I update like I was in the beginning?? God. 
> 
> Enjoy!

When they arrive back to their homes on Sunday, Louis is upset and moody. Mostly because he already misses his bratty little sisters, but somewhat because Harry wouldn’t fuck him before they left.

Louis keeps his arms crossed over his chest the entire ride, texting Zayn grumpily from the backseat beside Harry.

“Lou,” Harry whispers, “come on.”

Louis ignores him.

**To Zalien: how was rut with layne 4got to ask.**

**From Zalien: best shag of my life tbfh.**

**To Zalien: he topped, right???**

“Please, Lou,” Harry begs. “I love you. Please, baby.”

“Shove off, H,” Louis whispers with narrowed eyes. “And I love you, too, but.”

**From Zalien: we both did and it was gloriously empowering after letting him wreck my arse with his huge ass knot.**

Louis is a pervy motherfucker. He accepts that.

**To Zalien: damn dude. that’s absolutely sick !!!!**

**From Zalien: how does your arse not burn all the time though????? mine still aches whenever i flop into a chair**

Louis snickers and knocks Harry’s hand off of his thigh when he reaches for it.

Harry, sadly, doesn’t return it to its rightful spot, so Louis rolls his eyes and does it for him.

“Shut up,” he snaps without venom when he sees Harry’s open mouthed grin.

**To Zalien: omega arses like stretch and lubricate naturally it’s an awesome fact**

**From Zalien: learn something new (and gross) every day i suppose**

Louis smiles softly and sends him a snarky reply followed by an emoji before putting his phone down and sighing. He can hear his mum’s favourite station—the omega network—playing on the radio, can hear the announcer murmur something about faulty suppressants before his mum’s slamming the volume up and shushing them both.

“Lou,” she whispers in awe and shock.

Louis feels the same way.

“ _Reiden_ , aka the UK’s largest suppressant producer, released an article apologizing and notifying its buyers of its lack of protection against omega pregnancies. Apparently, a chemical was mixed incorrectly, causing the suppressants to act more as a sugar pill than what it’s supposed to. I can tell you that I was pissed,” the man says and his voice is high, angry. “They are refunding anyone who can provide proof of purchase, but I don’t think that’s enough! We rely on these producers to, well, produce their products correctly so we don’t end up pregnant and tripling the population every few months!

“It’s a mandatory bodily function. If there was a way out, we’d be doing it! Heat’s are exhausting. My heat was a little o’er two months ago, so I had to go out a buy— with my own hard earned cash— a _Reiden_ brand pregnancy test that should’ve been provided to me as a _Reiden_ suppressant shopper! It’s all B.S., if you ask me. If you’re in the percent of the populace that ends up with pups in your belly, give me a ring. We’ll curse ‘em out on live radio and plan our peaceful protests, okay?”

Louis stops listening after that. His eyes are wide and his jaw is slack.

 _Reiden_ is his brand. _Reiden_ is the company he trusted to keep his innards fertile, but not impregnated. He can’t believe this is his life.

What’s he going to do?!

“Holy shit,” Louis breathes out and he’s grateful that his mum’s at a stop sign because he opens the door and walks out.

The air is welcomed on his bare arms, helping him take in deep breaths even though it’s hot and early June. He closes the door behind him and just walks, the unfamiliar street signs helping him cope with the idea that he might be fucking pregnant at eighteen.

He’s barely an adult! How will he finish high school? _Uni?!_

God, he hates his omega anatomy and his stupid name brand suppressants and fucking Britian.

His phone buzzes in his pocket and he pulls it out, answering Zayn’s call with a barely withheld sob.

“Zayn,” he says and his jaw trembles.

“What’s up, dipshit?” Zayn asks, ignorant to the sob in Louis’ voice.

“Google something for me, will you?” Louis asks instead of crying.

His voice still shakes.

“Why couldn’t you just do it yourself?” Zayn grumbles, but Louis can hear him moving about his room.

“ _Reiden_ suppressants.”

Zayn grumbles under his breath for a moment or so, but then his breath hitches.

“Is that...are they your brand?” he asks and he sounds almost as scared as Louis feels.

“Mhmm,” Louis murmurs and the tears in his eyes fall down his cheeks, cooling the angry flush across his skin. “What if I’m pregnant?”

Zayn takes another moment before he speaks, voice sure and firm.

“If you are, you’ll raise the cute little pups and Liam and I’ll be the uncles and your mum’ll make an ace grandma and we’ll all take turns watching the little idiots while you and H are busy doing things and they’ll be the most loved pups in the history of the universe,” Zayn murmurs.

Louis, despite himself, smiles. That actually sounds alright. Great, actually. Just maybe not as eighteen. 

“And you and H’ll be fan-fucking-tastic parents and your spawn will be cute and sassy as shit and everything’ll turn out alright.” Zayn assures soothingly.

“Fuck you,” Louis whispers with a laugh as he wipes the tears off of his face.

He hates crying. It makes his nose all stuffy and his eyes itchy and it’s just an uncomfortable feeling.

“Fuck you, too,” Zayn laughs back. “Your mum’s texting me. Harry just sent me a Facebook message. Oh, make that two. Three.”

“Shit,” Louis shakes his head. “We were stopped at a stop sign and I just...I got out.”

“Where are you? Do you know?” Zayn laughs and Louis grins with him.

“Not an idea, actually.” Louis giggles. “I should probably head back.”

“Yeah,” Zayn says, “you probably should.”

Louis says his goodbye to Zayn—“Fuck you, I love you, au revoir.”—and then texts his mum and asks where she is.

She gracefully tells him to never pull a stunt like that again and that she loves him and that she’s parked at the stop sign where Louis ran off.

Louis is so glad he’s got a family like the one he has. He’s not sure what he’d do if not for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are mine (as always) because this is very unedited.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Manchester wins an important game at an inopportune time, Zayn likes pushing Louis to his absolute limit, and Louis is more than a bit overwhelmed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time, no see. Sorry. 
> 
> Trigger warning for panic attacks. Second half of the chapter is made up of Louis having something of the sort where he can't catch his breath. If that triggers you, please don't read it. 
> 
> Your health is more important than my shitty writing.

Louis’ mother buys him a pregnancy test. 

It’s not Reiden brand because everyone is sort of pissed at them for fucking up, but Louis still refuses to even open the box for a while. 

Harry lowkey nags him about it, mentioning it at the most inopportune times, but Louis just isn't ready to piss on the stick yet.  

Unsurprisingly, it’s Zayn that knocks some sense into Louis. 

They’ve not been able to see much of each other because Harry is very worried that Zayn—a mated alpha who isn’t even into omegas—wants to knot Louis. 

Louis finds ways to sneak him in, though, and he’s glad he does. 

“Louis,” Zayn doesn’t tear his eyes from the match that’s playing on the tele as he speaks, “pull it together, you fucking idiot. Take the damn test, see if you’re up the spout, and if so, get the proper meds and shit so you can birth one or more healthy, beautiful pups.”

“Zayn, it’s not that simple.” Louis frowns. 

It’s actually much more complex than pissing on the stick. It's more than his urine and an answer. It's his entire future. 

“How?” Zayn turns his head and sighs. “You pull out this plastic thing and you hold your dick and you aim your pee and then you set the plastic thing on the counter and wait the allotted time and then bam! You know if or if not you’re knocked up.” 

“I know how to fucking do it,” Louis narrows his eyes at Zayn’s face. “It’s just...I’m just...I.” 

“You’re scared and you aren’t ready for a baby, I know,” Zayn presses pause on the remote and the game freezes just as the ball begins to fly toward the goal. “But you’ve not got a choice. You can’t ignore the problem. Sure, if you’ve got a bun in the oven, there’s always abortion, but, like, what if you aren’t and you’re stressing over nothing?” 

Louis covers his wet eyes. He’s freaking out. He’s been freaking out since the day he heard the message. If he’s up the spout, he’s suing Reiden because they promised 100% that their drug prevented pregnancy when used correctly and Louis had been so diligent with those pills, those worthless little nightmares. He’s suing everyone. Obama. George W. Bush. Oprah. Everyone who allowed this american company to fuck up and send out faulty suppressants. 

He wipes at his eyes and throws his arm out to smack Zayn in the arm as hard as he can. 

“Fuck you and your wisdom. How the fuck are you smarter than I am but also younger?” Louis grumbles and he dramatically storms off to the bathroom to pee on a pregnancy test. 

-

The test takes ten minutes to work. 

Louis sits in the tub and rocks himself to remain calm as he waits, Zayn shouting at the tele from the other room. Manchester’s probably kicking ass. Zayn loathes them. 

“Games over,” Zayn says and Louis’ phone alarm went off ages ago, but he can’t will himself to move. “Manchester won.” 

Louis can’t even feel the joy about it. He’s just stuck. 

“What’s the test say?” Zayn asks, voice small. 

Louis doesn’t say anything, just closes his eyes hard. 

“You’ve not looked yet, have you?” Zayn asks and sighs. 

“No,” says Louis after a beat. 

He squeezes the skin in between his thumb and index finger before he stands up on wobbly legs and grabs the white piece of plastic off of the counter. He doesn’t look at it, just makes a helpless noise in the back of his throat and feels like he’s being choked. 

He hears Zayn call his name wearily before he looks at the test and sobs. He sobs and sobs and his throat burns with the violence of it and his chest rattles loudly and Zayn’s pounding on the door, knob rattling so loud it sounds like an atomic bomb in Louis’ ears, but all he can think is I’mpregnantI’mpregnantI’mpregnant. 

He falls to his knees, sobbing out at the pain of his bare skin against the ice cold bathroom tiles, and curling up on himself. 

“Louis!” Zayn’s shouting and the door is quaking with his attempts to enter, but it’s futile, everything’s futile because Louis has a baby growing inside of him and he's barely nineteen and what the fuck is he going to do? 

“Fuck this!” Zayn shouts and then the door’s open and there's broken wood littering the floor and Louis hasn't an idea how it all got there but he's not in the right mindset to figure it out. 

 Louis is being held and Zayn’s talking in a soothing voice, but it’s not to him, it’s not to Louis, because his words are meant for someone else, someone not Louis, and it’s all too much and Louis can’t fucking breath. 

“Harry, dude, Louis is having a panic attack and I...fuck...I don’t know what to do!” His words are sharper now and he’s holding Louis and the smell is not the one Louis wants, Louis needs. 

It’s too sharp, too metallic, not nearly soft enough for Louis to calm down, for Louis to breathe. 

“He’s shaking and he’s breathing hard and shit and...Harry, I think something’s wrong!” Zayn shouts. 

Louis can hear Harry’s voice, can sense it like he can sense alphas and omegas and betas, and he yearns for Harry’s arms, for his scent. 

Louis chokes on another sob, eyes so red they burn with tears, throat so raw it stings with every strangled sob, lungs screaming for air because there isn’t any anywhere. Louis’ eyesight goes splotchy, dark and spotted, and his arms don’t cling to his shins anymore. 

They fall off and he catches one last image of Zayn’s concerned face and then his vision goes black and his arms go slack. 

The last thing he hears is Harry’s muffled shout before he loses everything and he falls into nothingness. 

“I’m coming! I’ll fucking run if I have to.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm a shitty person, Louis wakes up, and Harry's just...gone. Also, LiLo bonds a bit, Anne swears, and it's the worst night of everyone's lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY. 
> 
> i'm so so so so sorry. Its been weeks. This is only 1k. Why am i such an awful person.

Louis rubs his forehead, still damp with sweat, and groans. His head spins as his eyes blink wearily against the harsh fluorescent lights. 

“Thank fuck,” Zayn says, relieved. “You scared the shit out of me!” 

“Where’s Harry?” Louis asks, sitting up. 

His chest aches and his eyes burn, but his worry for his alpha supersedes everything else.

“He never showed,” Zayn shakes his eyes, eyes wide with fear. “I’ve called his mum and she said he’s not in his room so she’s looking for him ‘round the city, but he’s missing, Lou.” 

“How long?” Louis asks and there’s panic seizing his chest, but it’s different from the earlier attack. 

It’s not grey. It’s pulsing, soaring red with burning pillars of fire and smoke. It’s worry and concern and blood-freezing panic. 

“An hour, two tops.” Zayn gnaws on his lip worriedly. “I should’ve never called him.” 

“Get my fucking keys,” Louis growls at him, standing up and nearly falling back down again. 

He’s still in the bathroom, legs wobbly and numb. His head pounds as the blood rushes through his body and Zayn has to grip his sides to keep him from tumbling to the ground. 

“You’re driving,” Louis commands and, with Zayn’s help, begins his journey down the rickety stairs and to his car. 

He’s going to find Harry if it fucking kills him. He won’t let the father of his fucking baby— oh, god, Louis reminds himself, I’m pregnant— disappear without word. 

-

By the time they make it to the car, Zayn’s convinced Louis to drink a Gatorade and to calm the fuck down. 

Louis does the former, but definitely not the latter. 

“Go to Anne’s,” Louis demands. “I’ll have her come out because I am tired as fuck.” 

Louis presses the call button on Anne’s contact name and waits for her to answer. 

“Oh, God, Louis, are you okay? Zayn called and said something was wrong and now Harry’s missing and I’m just so confused!” 

“I’m pregnant,” Louis says brokenly, softly. “I had a panic attack. Harry tried to come for me, but never made it.” 

“Holy fucking shit,” Anne murmurs, shock and surprise filling his voice. 

Louis hears Gemma’s resounding, “Swear jar!” and laughs pathetically. 

“We’ll find him, love.” Anne says after a moment of silence where she was probably glaring at Gemma. “I’m sure of it.” 

-

They don’t find him by night fall. 

Anne meets Jay at their house and sobs while Louis calls 999, voice shaky and broken up, and reports his mate missing. Liam comes over with Zayn and everyone simultaneously pretends to be okay. 

Two police officers— an alpha and an omega, to confirm and console— show up to question everyone on Harry’s disappearance. 

The alpha’s voice is high, sharp. Louis doesn’t like the way it pierces his ears, not when he’s aching, yearning to hear Harry’s deep melodic coo, his harmonious laugh. 

He gets up and walks outside. 

The air is hot, stifling, but it’s better than inside with the omega staring at Louis with pity in his big green eyes, too light to be anything like Harry’s. 

The back door creaks open and Louis doesn’t turn to look who it is. 

“Louis,” it’s Liam, surprisingly enough. 

Louis is confused as to why. 

“Let’s go for a walk, okay?” Liam whispers, hand just barely brushing Louis’ arm before he steps off the porch and begins to walk away. 

Louis frowns at his back, weirded out, and follows anyway. 

He can’t be in the house any longer, or even near it. 

-

When Louis catches up to Liam, he’s panting slightly and his legs feel like collapsing. He pushes through. 

“What’re we doing?” Louis asks softly, demandingly. 

“Walkin’,” Liam responds, “talkin’.”

“I know that,” Louis snaps. “Where are we going?”

“I’ve something to show you,” is all Liam says before he knocks his shoulder into Louis’ and continues walking. 

Louis doesn’t know why, but he follows. 

-

Liam starts slowing down a few blocks from Louis’ house. 

The back of his neck is visibly damp with sweat, but he otherwise looks unbothered by the humid air. Louis, though, is fucking dying. 

After effects of his episode earlier, definitely. 

“Slow the fuck down, Payne,” Louis hisses. “If I die, Zalien might be a little mad.” 

“He’d be pissed,” Liam murmurs contentedly, but slows down anyway, stepping in stride with Louis. 

Louis would thank him, but he’s a rude prick, so he doesn’t. 

“Yeah,” Louis smiles fondly at the ground, “he would.” 

“We’re here,” Liam announces. “This is the playground where my mother told me she was divorcing my dad, where my seventh grade bully shoved my nose into the dirt. It’s where I fucked my first omega, where I realized that slick wasn’t my thing. It’s where everything major that’s ever happened in my life happened.” 

“Oh,” Louis says softly. 

Liam was bullied? Who the fuck would mess with Liam? His arms are huge and his face is cute as fuck!

Louis is outraged. 

He’ll kill them all. 

“Who the fuck bullied you?” Louis growls possessively. 

He owns Zayn and Liam. They are his children of love. 

“No one important,” Liam shakes his head and takes a seat on one of the rickety old swings. “That’s not the point I’m trying to make.” 

“What is the point exactly?” Louis furrows his brow. “I’m not as adept at metaphors as Zayn is.” 

“It’s not a metaphor. I just wanted to take you away from your house, a place of good memories being tainted by the moment, and give you a real place to hate.” Liam shrugs like he isn’t a fucking genius. 

Louis would tell him, but he, again, is a fucking arsehole. 

“Ah, Christ, Payne, you’re killing me here,” Louis rolls his eyes. “Thank you.” 

“No problem,” Liam smiles. 

Louis again wonders who the fuck could’ve bullied someone so child-like and adorable. 

“I want ice cream,” Liam says after a moment. “Let’s go.” 

“Can we take the car?” Louis asks instead of saying, “I want Harry,”. “It’s hot as hell out here.” 

Ice cream won't make Harry come back, but it will distract him for a few seconds. 

He fucking wants his Harry back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!! And sticking with me (:


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Important stuff

I'm going to leave this up. 

The fic, I mean. 

I don't know if I'll continue it, but for now it's going to be left alone while I work on other things. 

Sorry. Again.

**Author's Note:**

> Updates will be fairly quick, but don't expect me to stick to a schedule or anything. I'm not good with deadlines. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are immensely appreciated! x


End file.
